


3 inches away from his heart

by luminous_nyght



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M, NCIS Los Angelos - if you know this show you're gonna have it easier haha, angst and fluff and a whole load of smut hahaha :)), minor character death - none of the boys I promise haha
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-05
Updated: 2014-04-05
Packaged: 2018-01-18 06:46:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 35,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1418788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luminous_nyght/pseuds/luminous_nyght
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>4 years ago, Zayn didn’t know that he could meet a man and fall in love – and not just fall in love with a soul because Liam’s taught him so much more than how to just love a person. He’s showed him ways to start loving his life now without the need of 3 guns and a Swiss army knife stuffed in his pockets – but mostly Liam’s taught him how to fall in love with a village and a little girl he now gets to call his own. Liam’s taught him how to live, how to understand that that he didn’t have to fashion his life like a loaded pistol – always ready to go off just because he signed his life away to a badge and a contract. He’s been able to teach Zayn how to understand that the love of the job didn’t translate into being ready to die so willingly under the guise of for your country.</p>
            </blockquote>





	3 inches away from his heart

**Author's Note:**

> This is dedicated to 5 incredible people who I know that without their help and advice - this fic wouldn't have happened.  
> First off Damian - because babe this fic wouldn't have happened without that first prompt and even though I changed it quite a bit from that first Cops AU context you still loved it to bits - Also for naming it for me - because this title sums it up perfectly.  
> Alison - my dear because you sat through my first ever draft of a blowjob scene and your encouragement lead to actual smut and for reading it as it was with all my silly mistakes  
> Phil - You read my revised start - what actually made it into this fic - I thank you for telling me it's readable.  
> Jesus - because you sat and read it all and also because I've made an incredible friend through this piece.  
> And finally Jesse - because you took the time out to read over my work and helped me understand that what I was doing wasn't wrong - just out of the ordinary - with your advice I have come up with something I'm very proud of.  
> Also this is for you, who took the time out to read this very long fic - I don't think I can ever thank you enough.  
> Any mistakes are mine - Sorry if you find any - I've tried my best to eliminate anything useless out, I promise, also please don't hesitate to comment -feedback is greatly appreciated! :)

“It’s nice to see you again, Mr. Malik welcome back.”

 

It’s Hetty smiling up at him, clipping her words carefully, almost hurriedly, in that sullen steady tone, dragging syllables over her tongue, easing him back into the leash that is work. She speaks hastily, almost unintelligible so, but he knows she'd rather enjoy that freshly brewed exotic tea of hers than debrief him so early in the morning. 

He’s just arrived, barely 5 minutes, but news had gotten round fast that he was willing to go in back so early. He smiles and steps on her little platform that makes up her office.

 

“I suggest you make good use of this time, have a seat.”  She usher as she gestures her hand over to the chair.

He bows his head and sits down on the wicker chair, dropping his bag opposite her sleek mahogany table. It’s the only way he’s ever replied to her, she even after so much time scared him a little, with _‘you conduct yourself only  with grace and respect – you need to learn how to instill fear with that one gaze Zayn’_  he remembers her saying when he was a boy and she definitely is able to frighten him with her gazes, and he’s closing in on _thirty_ fast.

Henrietta Lange was his Operations Manager, supplying his team with everything they need from a toothbrush to buying houses for them.

Well, officially.

Zayn has known her all his life, to him; she was more than his overseer.

“Mr. Malik?” She says again as he lifts his head up to meet her eyes. She was small in stature to the point her chair had to be especially ordered so that it didn’t drown her.  But yet her pertinent stare framed by thick work glasses scared him enough to make him shiver, even on good days. Her no nonsense temperament meant that she’s the only reason he’s been able to be kept in line. Pull anything out of her arse for him to keep him on the straight and narrow, going as far and bringing over the pond so that she was able to teach him the art of her work. He went from a wannabe bad boy in cheap leather jackets, a cigarette always hanging off the edge of his lip or the edge of his ears, to graduating the academy, top of his classes in 2 years. He was shit at school – especially maths and science, but once he was handing a gun, he realised his calling.

 

He nods again. “You’re my Senior field agent – I know you’ve just been through a hell of a few weeks but I need to know you’re on your A – game. I can’t have you here if it’s going to mean you still can’t shoot straight. I understand that you are in recovery but we have work to do are you listening?”

“I’m ok, I think, just sore as always, I am able to shoot straight?” he chuckles, “even when I was fresh meat I could kill, you know this.”

“I know Mr. Malik,” She smiles, “but you’ve just taken 2 bullets less than 8 weeks ago, as well as losing another partner. I need to know if you’re able to move on now.”

“I’m ok, I promise.”

“Good,” she beams. “I’ll see you in OSP in 15 minutes. Go grab your coffee Mr. Malik you’re going to be needing it.” She stands to lean over her desk, grabbing his cheek, like she had to see for herself that he’s still there and his heart still beats. She was the only mother figure he’s had in his life, but maybe he thinks now that she’s up this close, it’s the way her hair sits on her head. That fringe that cuts deep contrast between her thick round framed glasses and her jaw line. She was in her fifties, not taller than 4’9, she was small yet terrifying. He bows his eyes down so that he’s looking at his hands, but he needs to shut them, because he immediately sees the blood of his partner that covered them less than 2 months ago. When she lifts her hand off him a few seconds after it's like she’s found the answer she was looking for. He closes his eyes as she presses her index finger over his heart, a silent ' _thank God you're fine',_ and only then, does he find it in him to go find his team.

*

They reassemble in OSP on time to be briefed for a new case. He looks at his people, _his men._ The people he had just taken bullets for and smiles. It feels incredible to be back after 2 months off time. 

It had been rather tough to get fit again, being able to feast on pizza and coke for the for the last six weeks meant it was tough getting out of bed at a god awful hour to go on his daily 8 mile run.

However Zayn knows he wouldn’t change what he does, even if he got offered the world.

He’s leaning against - what he can only describe as a kitchen island. It’s the place he can fill out reports after being debriefed on a successful case. OPS or rather The office of Special Projects to him was the nerd zone. It was a room equipped with computers and big screens. Mostly everything in OPS was touch screen, meaning it wasn’t the first time he stayed after hours to play GTA in cooler fashion. He was quite aware that he was considered a legal adult, he was a federal agent with actual guns issued to him after all, but this was all he had in his life. This job had ruled him since he was 19 years old – he didn’t have much else to fall back onto so playing GTA till half six in the morning to him, only stopping to go on a run before his team arrived was totally acceptable in his book.

Hetty walks in then, along with Reine and Louis, their Intel people trailing behind.

Reine their feisty data analyst like Hetty small in stature, brunette and bossy but with an IQ of just over 160 her brains meant they had some of the best Intel not just in LA or NCIS, but the entire world, and Louis, as he like to call him, their genius on crack when given a computer to the point he was hacking into sensitive information by the age of 10, he was also Zayn’s resident best friend. Officially though, he was their tech operator.

“Right, Mr. Tomlinson,” Hetty announces just given Louis enough time to scramble to his chair. “Brief my agents as quickly as you can, as you know we have more important issues to address with Mr. Malik before we actually start this case.”

Louis nods and grabs his tablet walking over to the big screen while Reine remaining at her station to assist with the extras.

“Right,” He starts as he starts to tap his screen. 3 convict records appear on screen as Louis starts to talk. “Meet the Ramosas. Family business from what we can tell it runs through the family. We have reason to believe these three aren’t just doing drug cartels anymore, that form of employment is firmly engraved in our records, however now we have been receiving worrying news in regard to what they’ve been doing lately.”

Reine jumps in then, swiping her finger against her screen to flick her work onto the big screen.

“From their recent activities, we have worrying news from LAPD, that it’s not just drugs that they are carrying over the border now. We have these pictures that show Commander Hastings,” she says as she grabs the end of the picture of the Commander and his Mexican friends to enlarge it, “he runs some of this country’s most classified missions, from Shadow ops to Black ops, to being responsible to be the one that sent the team that killed Gaddafi. He has one of the top security clearances in the core. If we are suspecting correctly, he is passing on classified information just south of the border, with the Ramosas contact list it could be anyone from the Russian to the South Koreans, which means a threat to national security, it could be anything from statistics, to the current state of our nuclear warheads. It has to be stopped, today!”

“So basically you’re saying this dude here has the ability to bring this country to a standstill yet has the balls to laugh like an idiot while doing so.” Niall was right, he was always right. As a Junior field agent, he wasn’t as experienced as him, but he was fluent in a variety of languages and a skilled lip reader. This team needed him, especially if they had any dealing in the Eastern Europe. What helped them is, he didn’t look like an agent, with his too big tank tops and shorts and his variety of accents he could just slip into.

“Yes Mr. Horan, now chop chop, this issue needs to be resolved.”

“Hetty?” Harry asks now.

“Yes Mr. Styles.”

“What is the state of nuclear weaponry in this country?

“That my dear, is way beyond your pay grade. “ She turns to walk out, but not before, “Mr. Malik, a word.” And like an idiot, he runs after the woman that literally runs his life.

*

“Meet Mr. Payne, your new partner.”

And no, he doesn’t want a new partner, not after what happened to – he can’t even say her name.

“No.”

“Yes, Mr. Malik. This team needs Mr. Payne over here. Detective Payne might I – “

“Oh he’s a cop too.” He cuts in, he really can’t have this, this isn’t how he saw his first day back to be like. “He’s not even an agent. Why Hetty, why, he’s not even agency trained, how do you expect us to perform at out full potential if one on our team is just a cop.”

“Stop it Mr. Malik, that’s quite enough."She says standing pressing her palms flat on the table sternly.  "You’ve just taken bullets to your lung; you need a partner, especially now seeing you still have the price on your head. You and I both know you need him, and Liam will be there for what need. Mould him Mr. Malik; make him _you_ if you really are that bummed over this."

She takes a minute to sit back down, settling the argument he had just tried to make in a fraction of second.

"Please show him the armoury so that he’s issued an NCIS vetted gun. Now, I have a call from SECNAV to take so please take your leave. Both of you.”

*

“In here Liam.” He isn’t pleased with being stuck with the undergrowth as he likes to call liaisons. They usually come in for office bound jobs, the kind of job that Zayn wasn’t here to do. Hetty discharging Liam for field work was news to him; it was new and very unsettling.

He holds in a laugh when Liam picks a Glock 22. To him that’s a woman gun but Liam said it’s what he used at LAPD so he bits his tongue to hold his thoughts in. Zayn is a lot of things, but he isn't that kind of rude or mean. Liam smiles shyly at him as he makes his way to the shooting range just off the armoury, turning red as Zayn hangs up a new target area and pressing the button to let it slide back to its place. For some reason he likes the way Liam’s blush spreads over his skin, the speckles over his chin, jaw and ears like the senitment red nebula species, out in force to protect their world, or in Liam’s case, embarass him.

“Show me.” He says, shaking thoughts of Star Wars out of his head because no it wasn’t the time now. Allowing Liam to shoot was Zayn’s own way of giving Liam a chance. He trusts Hetty but he wants to see for himself what Liam can actually do. Liam in the meantime puts on his goggles and ear protector, and raises his arms to shoot. It hits three times in the targets chest, one bullet hitting the head straight between the eyes, he can see Liam smirking as he tilts his head to the right, happy with himself already.

He shoots his last bullet.

It hits the heart, and Zayn’s heart drops by a tenfold. At this point he’s not sure if it’s fear or it’s or something else. Zayn’s good, but he’s never hit both the head and the heart in one go. He doesn’t care though, because Liam is smiling at him, wanting almost _needing_ approval.

Like it actually _mattered_ what Zayn thought to him.

Zayn grins back sweetly and takes the gun from Liam he doesn’t pass out his smiles freely around, but Liam deserves one after such a show. He walks out to start the necessary paperwork. After that performance, he can do this one small thing for Liam – sticking Liam with paperwork 30 minutes after he arrived wasn’t very welcoming he justified.

“I’m a hard person to work with.” He says offhandedly after he sits down at the table like space they have set up for gun cleaning. He places Liam’s newly acquired weapon next to him. Zayn isn’t usually talkative so it is strange to him as to why he’s actually investing time in Liam.

“I’ve been thoroughly warned.” Liam says with a half smirk as he reaches for Zayn’s Sig which he had left on the workbench.

“Sig- Sauer P229,” Liam states. “Impressive.”

Zayn chuckles, “You know your guns.”

“I’ve had a lot of them pointed in my face; favourite weapon of choice for most gangbangers in LA actually.”

“How did you land the streets?”

“I speak gang.” Liam jokes as he unloads his weapon and takes out a single bullet, playing with it between his fingers. Zayn shivers. He hates that Liam can open play with a bullet in that manner.

“What else do you speak?” He says instead, taking his eyes away from Liam’s fingers and focusing on filling the forms.

“Everything under the European sun.”

“You’ve gotta be joking.”

“No not really.” Liam says half annoyed, half amused that Zayn doesn’t believe him. Zayn’s mouth spreads into a natural curve. He can’t help himself, Liam makes him smile.

“How is that possible thought?”

“I lived in every European state for at least 6 months. My mum was a CIA agent, mostly out in Western Europe, I was actually born in Switzerland.”

“What is the weirdest most remote place you lived in?”

Liam laughs, “It’s not weird as such, but a place called Buonvicino, in Southern Italy. Like it’s in the mountains and as a kid it was like I was living in a fortress.”

“How did you end up in LAPD?”

“She moved back to the LA offices when I was 17, we don't talk much though because she knows I’d go back in a heartbeat and she doesn't quite like that.”

They stay quiet after that, allowing Zayn to finish his paper work. He slides the gun across the table, and Liam immediately starts to clean it. It’s a habit, even he himself does it. He smiles as he looks at Liam, properly for the first time since they met. He’s working a buzzed head that adds softness to his profile, stresses the roundness of his cheeks, the slope of his nose and the fullness of his lips, how incredibly large his brown eyes seem beneath those bushy eyebrows. It highlights his heavy eyelids, and tiredness like Liam’s not had a proper night sleep for a while – it comes with the territory though, the nature of their jobs really dictates the way they live their lives. He smiles as he spots moles and freckles littering Liam’s face like stars in the night sky, he even notices a birthmark, just beneath the sharpness of his jaw. For some reason though his hands itch to rub over the prickly hairs that make up Liam’s head and run his fingers over Liam’s shoulders and biceps, memorising his crevices and to carve out the contours of his own heart into Liam’s bones.

Zayn is drawn to Liam in a way he’s never been to anyone before, and that scares him.

He stops then, because he doesn’t do this often. He doesn’t tend to sit and study people, study his partners, because he doesn’t usually get the chance to. His partners usually are busier putting bullets in themselves before Zayn gets time to ask how they like to take their coffee. He hopes Liam’s different though, he wants for some reason to get to know Liam, cause Zayn gets the feeling even if they grew up worlds apart, they have a lot in common.  He inhales softly and touches his rib cage, pressing slightly with light fingers at his still healing bullet wound. He got lucky, even though he barely made it out alive. In 5 years at the agency he’s gone through 15 partners. He holds the record.

They are all dead.

Liam brings him out of his reverie, he’s shaking him slightly, lightly, but it is enough for Zayn to sit up.

“Sorry. I just tend to bring bad luck, that’s why I was being a bit bash. I’m sorry about that, I’m friendlier I promise, I just don’t have a track record of happy endings with partners.”

“Zayn,” Liam says, and Zayn almost wants to cry, because he’s just met this man and he’s already saying things that are making Zayn’s heart cling and wrap around him, this time his vowels, in the way Liam says his name, but he sucks it in. He’s a special agent for crying out loud. He doesn’t do crying.

He looks across to Liam, trying to wrap his mouth around that smile that keeps escaping him. “Zayn, just because it was like that, doesn’t mean it’s always going to be.”

He exhales, “Do you even know what happened to my last partner?”

Liam shakes his head. “I was told Agent Bertoli was shot in a stake out, you were both taken off guard because you were undercover as a married couple, I know that she meant a lot to you, but can we not focus on that. You’re here and we should be focusing on you.”

“She is dead because of me.”

“No she is dead because she wasn’t supposed where she was to be. If she were, you could have had her back.”

“You’re smart.”

“No, I’m logical.”

“You’re managing to make me smile.”

“Its a start?”

“Yeah, seeing not even Niall Horan has been able to do that lately.”

“Heard about Niall, I hear he’s good with Eastern Europe.”

“Yeah and Harry’s good with the East too,” Liam chuckles, “like Japan and China that kind of thing.” he continues.

“What are you good at?”

“I break into alarm, safes, houses, cars – some lip reading.  I tend to get in and out with the information I need without the owners knowing I’m even there, couple obscure languages, oh and I’ve got advanced EOD training.”

“How did you learn all of that to do that?”

“Misspent youth.”

Liam chuckles and moves closer. “You are worth more than the agents that died by your side. Just because you've got bodies piling up like fire wood doesn't mean you’re a bad agent, you understand?”

Zayn smiles sadly, it gets to him a little that Liam can see past the fa _ç_ ade. The act he’s been playing for years now.

“How about we start again?”

“I’d like that actually.” Liam says standing up and fully walking towards him now.

“I’m Liam, Detective Liam Payne, LAPD.”

Zayn stands too, holding out his hand as Liam shakes it a little on the hard side.

“I’m Zayn, Special Agent Zayn Malik, NCIS, nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.” Liam says smiling reaching for both their guns, “Now do you wanna kick some arse?”

*

“Mr. Tomlinson has been trying to hack into Commander Hastings computer whilst you too were getting friendly in the armoury.” Hetty says as they step into OSP again, close to half an hour later.

“Yes,” Louis says, “It appears that the commander has indeed been doing some digging into our databases. It took a couple of algarisms and some password encryptions to actually get into his search history, but he’s been looking up the Italian Mafia – and more specifically Sleeper agents put in place after the Cold War too keep tabs on them. If he is actually dealing with the Italians, we’ve got problems.”

“Big problems.” Liam says stepping closer to the screen to explain himself.

“This issue is big, “He starts. “ The _Cosa Nostra_ is as tight as Crips right here in our backyard.” He says as he takes the controller off Louis and moves to bring up further details on the screen.

“Meet Salvatore Lo Piccolo. The suspected successor of Bernardo Provezano, if Hastings is working against the US and in favour of this lot it’s treason, although my question is what do the Italians want that we’ve got?”

“That’s what we need to find out.” Hetty interrupts. “While all this is informative Mr. Payne I don’t understand how you know all this.”

“He lived in Italy a good portion of his life.” Zayn says candidly.

“Oh look at you, Mr. I. Don’t. Want. A. Partner.” Harry says, “Already sharing anecdotes with this one.”

“Fuck off Harry.”

“Boys.” Hetty jumps in. “We do not have time for childish behaviours. Liam, get acquainted with our spaces, take Mr. Malik with you, it looks like you like each other, which is good.”

“Come with me.” He tells Liam, flicking off Harry who’s smirking like some fool that’s just one the lottery. “Louis,” He hears Hetty say as he walks to Liam, “please continue your research.”

They nod and walk out smiling almost like a pair of shy teenage boys, he doesn’t get it, and he’s _never_ been so _smitten_ this early before.

“Is Harry always like that?”

“Like what?”

“Like,” Liam stops and starts to wiggle his eyebrows a smirk forming over his lips like he’s about to say something cheeky, “ Like so up in your business?”

It causes Zayn to laugh and reach out to slap Liam’s bicep lightly. “That’s a little forward seeing you just joined today.”

“I’m being honest.” Liam chokes out though his own laughter. He can see they’re going to get on well.

“No, Harry just knows I’ve not shagged in forever.”

Liam doesn’t reply to that – just starts down the steps down to the bull pen he follows, lagging slightly.

“Does it bother you? Cause I can get him to stop.” He says catching up and directing Liam to go see the wardrobe facilities to their right. He walks behind Liam – he’s starting to see it might become a thing, he laughs when Liam looks at the Rolex watches in somewhat awe.

 “Why should it, seeing I’m on the same team.” He answers smirking as his finger glides carefully over the glass display case full of designer stuff he personally has no care for.

“Really?” Zayn asks, his heart is beating faster in his ribcage suddenly as he feels his blood rush to his cheeks. He’s surprised, that’s for sure.

“Why is it a big deal?”

“I just –” He stops to measure his words out carefully, so that he doesn’t come off as this intrusive arse that he secretly is – he isn’t really but it’s something about Liam that makes him want to strip him bare already and not even in the sexual way, just enough to get into his heart.  

 “You look like a guy with a girl tucked away in a fully furnished flat with a bun in the oven.” He says instead, controlling himself, because he’s so daft to have such thoughts this early on.

Liam starts to laugh, loud and clear, like he’s never heard anything so ludicrous in his entire life.

He stops at the tie rack and takes a blue satin one of its hook, it blends well with Liam’s tanned skin tone, and offsets nicely with the current white Henley he has on. It warms Zayn’s heart a little, because he’s like a child let loose in a toy factory.

“And you look like a guy that’s gone down the wrong career path. You should seriously consider modelling man.” Liam giggles out before sticking his head in a beanie and leaning against the glass cabinet whizzing happily.

He chuckles, because Liam’s both deadly yet childish. It’s endearing.

“I can’t do this, never have been able to my entire life, help?” Liam inquires as he stands himself up and holds the ends of his tie out. Zayn was still in shock over Liam’s little confession,  and shakes his head laughing before moving closer to Liam stealing his beanie before starting to fiddle with his tie until it’s properly done up. He giggles, “You’re such a child!”

“Well,” Liam smiles looking down at his newly fashioned tie, “At least you don’t hate me.”

“Who said I ever did?”

*

They sit around for a couple of hours on the sofa hidden from the view of Hetty who is diligently filling out her paperwork at the other side of the room. It’s _different_ this, good different but it was still weird, because there was no awkwardness now. Conversation flowed freely between them ranging from favourite subjects at school to their kill count. It was like someone had entered his brain and wrote down everything he likes in a person than presented it in the form of Liam. It should be _suffocating_ really that Liam fills in just about every box – and while this morning he was thinking about a lazy shag picked up at the bar down the road, now he’s thinking of Venice and Marseilles and conjuring up images of nights strolling casually by the Seine and the Tiber, hands slipped inside Liam’s as they make their way slowly to an off chain cafe like nobody’s business.

He’s creepy and he’ll fully admit that – it’s _Liam_ and now his heart sings at just the mention of his name or the crinkle of his laugh or the way he drags his boot over Zayn’s thigh – like they’ve know each other years not hours. They are sipping coffee, mouths around mugs and words he can’t say for now – they laughed when Liam said he likes his coffee black two sugar because that’s the way he took his. Sometimes he realises the right person or partner comes along at the right moment and it makes everything suddenly better, brighter, and lighter – like it was always meant to be that way.

 “Hey,” Zayn says nudging his own boot over Liam’s socked feet. They, are lying over each other now, well their feet were at least – reading over the case files that Louis had carefully printed out for them to read.

“If you live though this, take me to Italy sometime maybe?”

“I’d love to.” Liam replies as he sips at his coffee, too warm hands cupped around a childish Batman mug with one hand and writing up his first office inventory he took from the back room with the other.

“But first, take me to England, not to London though to the place where everybody speaks like you, I love that accent of yours.”

Zayn blushes, no one tends to comment of his accent now. It was a still thick Yorkshire accent, like he didn’t leave the moors at all. He doesn’t remember much about his childhood other than his sisters and the house next to the mosque he grew up in. It was a blessing so to speak. His accent was a relic from his past. It meant everything to him though, along with his religion, it was the one of the only reminders that he was once a Bradford lad, that didn’t have much at all. “Deal.”  He agrees giggling like a madman.

*

“Guys we just found something,” Louis hollers from the top it’s late in the afternoon by now, he’s sleepy and his scar is beating like it’s a human heart, it's sore and he doesn’t feel like moving. He looks up at Louis’ though and sighs – moving still isn’t that comfortable.

Louis’ short, about 5’7 in stature, he’s all muscle like the rest of them, but he’s got a really like really nice arse that he knows is Louis’ greatest asset. What he doesn’t like though is his high pitched scream. It was honestly enough to make ears bleed if ignored. He nods at Liam who shrugs too, before helping him up off the very comfortable sofa. “Get up here.” Louis shouts again, like they didn’t get the memo the first time.

They walk up the stairs, their HQ was a  _condemned_  Water Reclamation Plant, well to start with. It’s been restructured to be able to hold highly skilled operatives at any given point of the year. It’s by design, so that it doesn’t look like a base of operations for one of the biggest spy units in the country. It takes the pressure off him and his team to be able to be themselves, because more often than not they can’t be out of the four walls that make up more of a home than their actual houses. What he does means he’s got 10 different lives.

He’s 10 different people, sometimes it gets hard to find the Zayn between all the Mohammed’s, Hamza’s and Abel’s.

“Hey come on.” Liam’s saying then, grabbing his shirt gently to pull him behind.

It’s something he likes about his job. They don’t have any uniform. He can honestly rock up more often than not in his black unwashed skinny jeans and the battered leather jacket he’s had for years. No one gives a toss about what he wears here. It reminds Zayn he’s 26 sometimes, not 40.

“As you can see,” Louis is saying just as they enter OSP, “from the cameras that we were able to hack into, a meet just went down. This is in downtown LA, approximately 10 minutes ago, as you can see they seem to have no backups, not what we know from our recent intel they probably have snipers posted high up.”

“Zayn, I’m gonna need you to lip read what Lo Piccolo is saying. It’s really weird that he actually made the trip from Italy, but  we found him coming through security at LAX 2 days ago.” Louis says as he taps his tablet and then security images time stamped 2 days previously blink up on the screen. “Normally they just send proxies.” Which is true.

He moves closer to the screen, he can plainly make out that Commander Hastings wants his _papers_ first. The Italian however isn’t so happy with this new arrangement.

“The Commander wants his papers before anything goes down – I don’t really get what papers, but he keeps repeating papers like it’s the only thing that’s vital. Lo Piccolo isn’t too happy and he’s pleasantly swearing at Hastings like no tomorrow. It’s got something to do with weaponry, top of the range Military issue weaponry. If they really just want to top up their armoury however, they wouldn’t have gone to all this trouble to get their pesky hands on US Military ones. There is something else they aren’t speaking about.”

“You’re right Mr. Malik.” Hetty says, “Mr. Tomlinson, please pull up everything you have found on Commander Hastings hard drive which Mr. Styles and Horan here killed 4 men to acquire.”

He chokes on a laugh biting harshly on his tongue, that’s was their typical body count daily. It’s something totally Niall and Harry to do. Just bulldoze their way to get something they need, no matter what stands in their way, especially not 4 Mexican foot soldiers doing the dirty work for their Ramosas bosses.

“Right, um, from his latest searches in Pentagon classified data bases; it seems he’s looking up American Sleeper Agents with Italian ties. As well as how to avoid security at customs and looking up lists of weaponry he can take.

“Wait you’re saying, lets rewind a minute here, Hastings wants to supply the Italians, American intel and weapons, for what exactly? What did he take Louis?” Liam asks worried now.

“Erm, mostly sniper rifles and shotguns as well as semi automatic pistols – there is a bazooka and some new top of the line grenades. I personally think Lo Piccolo is here to see what he’s going to get.”

“So you’re saying, “He says, “that the Ramosas are the proxies that connected the commander with the Italians and I agree, I do think Lo Piccolo is here to see what he’s getting his hands on, but my question is why would the commander jeopardise national security and his own career for the Mafia?”

“Gentlemen,” Hetty takes over, “I have sent Reine to Agents Horan and Styles who are still at commander’s house to see what he has stored on his personal computers. Your question Mr. Malik is what we aim to answer.  We need to shut this down. If we can’t we need to keep tracking it till we do."

She dismisses them with a slight wave of her hand, "Go, get some dinner both of you. It might be a long night.”

He looks at Liam who smiles shyly at him. He chuckles throwing a glance at Louis who’s already back at his station his hands flying over his keyboard as he hacks into more systems. He takes Liam by his tie, he chuckles and pulls him out behind him. If it’s going to be a long night, he might as well have fun with it.

*

“So how exactly do we stop someone like Hastings from achieving what he wants?” Liam says as they sit in traffic, trying to avoid the hot feeling on his thighs coming from the California sun. It’s late in the afternoon, but it’s the middle of August, the sun won’t set till after eight.

He prays to God Liam doesn’t stick to the seat. It’s pure Leather, he doesn’t want sticky sweat marks, even if they are Liam’s.

“It’s what we do we give them what they want, it's different each time, like last year it was a French arms dealer wanting to take down José Durão Barroso because he didn’t like the way Europe is turning out.”

“You mean the President of the European Commission, wait this job is worldwide isn’t it.”

“Yeah that’s him, and babe you need to always have your luggage ready. We fly anywhere that needs us, it comes with our contracts.”

“Explains why none of you are in relationships.”

“How exactly could you have possibly come to that conclusion?” He’s not annoyed at Liam, he’s grinning actually, and he’s got to admit it is nice having someone to talk to again after nearly 8 weeks in seclusion.

“I just assumed – " Liam laughs out as he plays with this seat beat seeing it had latched onto his neck - Zayn hates sticky weather too.

“Ahh –” he cuts in. “Assume nothing.” He laughs. “Actually Niall and Harry have been together 5 years now.”

“Wait you serious?”

“Do I have anything to gain by lying to you?”

“I guess not.”

“See,” he says reaching out to run his fingers over Liam’s head, “Assume nothing.”

They laugh and leave it at that.

*

They stop at a burger joint. It’s cheap and cliché but it’s exactly what he needed. It’s not downtime exactly because they are still on the clock but most of his other partners avoided him – Liam hasn’t. Not even for one second. He’s been stuck to his hip from the minute they were introduced. It’s comforting in ways he didn’t know before.  Liam reaches out to squeeze his hand over the steering wheel, before he whispers out,

“Hey you, wanna go home?” It’s soft, almost a quiet murmur, like he’s genuinely afraid of Zayn’s reaction. He shrugs.

“Liam, if I go home I sleep, what happens if we get called in?”

“We’ll cross that bridge when we’ll come to it?” More hopeful now like he’s realised he’s not about to have his head cut off.

“Yeah ok,” He succumbs, he learning he can’t stand to see Liam’s pouty face, it makes his butterflies in his stomach tingle.  “wanna sleep at mine, I don’t have much, but I have a sofa you can use.”

“Sofa.” Liam copies like a child – “Not many people say that word here.” He smiles because it’s something he’s starting to see it's so typically Liam to comment on something so insignificant to most of the general population.

“Yeah,” he agrees, “it’s the British in me, wanna go?”

“Yeah I’ll go, I hope you have Batman DVDs, you can sleep, I’ll stay awake incase Louis calls.”

He wants to protest – ready to even, because no that isn’t fair at all, but he holds onto his bottom lip harshly, because no – it’s not appropriate  to complain on everything good someone offers you. He shifts uncomfortable though, because his scar is itching now, and he can’t get to it, under his belt safety tucked away, out of sight he scoffs, but never out of mind – he agrees and turns his car round to head to his apartment. It’s not big and fancy, even if his salary says he can afford it. Zayn’s never had money, and even now that he does, he still lives like he did as a child.

“It’s not much.” He laments as he opens the door to his penthouse, it’s ok though, because Liam’s looking at him like he’s just handed him the world. He doesn’t really get it, seeing he lives in a just about furniture less apartment. Just his high spec kitchen that came with the place – he wasn’t even the one that picked it out – Hetty had.

“The view – Zayn this is gorgeous.” It’s quiet and mute – like Liam’s never seen something like this before.

He chuckles and walks up beside Liam, he’s never really sat and admired his view over the city, but he had to admit it was beautiful – especially now, with the bright lights of the night that lit it up so beautifully.

“You can have the sofa.” He says after a quiet lull of about 15 minutes. I’m gonna grab us some cokes.” Liam raises his eyebrows as if to ask what the hell? But Zayn chuckles happily and dips his fingers into the valley of Liam’s exposed collarbone, rubbing gently “It’s not a night off remember.” He soothes as he turns away to go to his kitchen.

When he comes back he’s holding up a choice of 2 DVD’S. Liam picks Winter Solider and he laughs because he’s already reciting the script and the movie hasn’t even started yet. They settle down – at opposite sides of the sofa at first, but then Zayn’s got his head on Liam’s shoulder by the middle of it and Liam’s pulling the blanket Zayn calls his duvet over both of them – and it’s not anything really. It’s just partners hanging out – but there is a sense of calm to them. A sense of belonging like this is how they should have always been living their lives. Zayn looks down at the palms of his hands and runs his fingers over his mehndi, then his ying – yang. A tattoo he got at 15 years old, not even knowing the real meaning behind it until years later, but now – it just makes so much sense that he did that because  that’s how he sees them. Zayn’s black contrasting Liam’s white. His own darkness and all in all fucked up sense of reality, amplifying Liam’s lightness. Like two fallen angels from their different realms finding security within each other like Liam’s arms where always meant to go round his waist or the way Liam thoughtlessly had reached out to comb his fingers through his quiff positively flattening it and laughing like an idiot about it.  He chuckles – it surprises him how fast he’s taken to Liam – it was effortless on his part because Liam just slipped in between his time of limbo and self – pity and but now it’s like after so many years his life is starting to make sense – and while that feeling should be unsettling and scary, he realises it isn’t – in so many ways – it’s comforting to know his emotions are fully functioning when he’s not fighting them like the arsehole he is.

“What’s so funny?” Liam whispers his face turned away from the bright blue hue of the television now, the colour washed out Liam’s tan and he’s finally getting to see the man behind the gun – behind the badge – the boy in love with Pixar and Marvel the boy that painstakingly almost meticulously checked everything the ordered at dinner to make sure there wasn’t any bacon or ham in it.

 “Nothing; just wondering how I ended up here with you right now.”

“Something called partners making sure they don’t waste time trying to find each other if they are needed at HQ in 15.”

He grunts because he doesn’t feel like anything but rubbing his cream over his wound and sleep till late tomorrow.

“I don’t wanna.” He whines into Liam’s throat – he can feel Liam’s steady heartbeat running beneath his lips – it makes him what lean in fully and kiss him, but not yet he tells himself. Too soon – too early.

“You wanna sleep instead?” He nods but first reaches out to get his box from the coffee table and in one slick motion he tears away his shirt over his head a chill runs through him because Liam's warmth is gone but he sits down on his knees on the wooden floor – he’s learnt though several bullet holes on different planes of his body over the years – trying to do this on a soft surface hurts more. He breathes a sigh of relief when his hand stretches over his bandage because _finally._ He sits up on his knees and flicks on the lamp shade that stood next to his side of the sofa and starts to unroll the gauze. It’s when he finally looks over at Liam, who’s just looking up at him – in an expression he’s never seen before, somewhere between awe and desire.

“ _The tattoos!”_ whispers as his fingers reach out to study the contorts of his skin, pressing soft fingers over his bumps and ridges like he was some exhibition at an art museum. “Um, yeah been collecting them since I was 14 man.” He chuckles trying to lighten the mood, desperately not wanting to think about everything he could be doing instead of _this_ right now.

“What are you going to do?” Liam asks his fingers dipping into his now exposed wound, Zayn jumping back slightly because no, the skin there was still way too sensitive. “ _Sorry!_ ” Liam squeals, his hand automatically retracting before Zayn’s pulling at his digits again, trying to convey it’s ok to bring them close.

“I’ve got this cream I have to put on it to heal – ” he explains, “I have to do it before I go to bed, after showers that kind of thing.” Liam nods, before reaching out to press his fingers to Zayn’s jaw and Adam’s apple.

“Are you sure you’re ok to be cleared for field work?” He’s touched by Liam’s concern over his well being. The others – it’s not that they don’t care – but they’ve learnt to never question his decisions – even if they happen to be the wrong ones.

“I’ll be fine,” he reassures, “in the long run,” his hand reaching out to press firm over Liam’s fingers “ – shit like this effects you badly you know.” Liam reaches for the tube from his free hand, “May I?” he nods. “Please.” It's light, Liam’s careful with him as he glides his 2 of his fingers over the red circle just above his last rib. His build means that even with the training that he does, his rib cage sticks out at odd angles. His wiry frame aids him, because it means he can ran faster, lighter on the balls of his feet but it means he can dig mines in the valley between his hips and the curves of his collarbones – but it’s ok really because he’s gotten used to people thinking he’s going to fall flat on his arse with the flick of a finger than acting surprised when he effortlessly takes them down.  It’s become his asset, rather than his liability.

“Hey,” Liam’s rubbing at his collarbone now, nothing to do with his scar, but it’s soothing in a way it’s easy for him to slip out of his reverie as he smiles back up at Liam. “You still you want to sleep?”

He nods, “Please, before Louis finds something and we have to go.” He starts to wrap his bandage around himself again, stopping only when Liam takes the roll from him to do it himself.

“Where is your bathroom?” Liam asks as he settles himself on his sofa again, pulling the blanket over him. It might be the middle of summer, but Zayn gets cold at night to the point of shivering – and anyway Doniya had sent it over – he likes it around him cause it reminds him that he does have a family – even if it’s very far away.

“Down the corridor to the left, last door opposite the glass window.” He answers before pulling his blanket over his head, hunching into a ball at one side, leaving enough space for Liam when he comes back. He didn’t have a bed after all – if Liam were to fall asleep it would be here too. He thinks about actually going out and buying one for a minute, but he could ask Liam in the morning for that.

“Hey, no no no, don't scrunch up like that – Come here, I swear you don't know what’s good for you half the time. “ Liam might be saying the words, but he’s giggling – he can see his mouth frowning slightly before forming into an involuntary smile. Liam sits down, before reaching over to drag him over the whole length of the sofa, letting Zayn’s head rest on his lap. “I swear – ” Liam chuckles running a finger over his forehead, down his nose and letting it rest on his lips, “If you don’t get yourself a bed by this time tomorrow – I’ll go and get one for you.”

He laughs “I was going to ask you if you'd help me choose one. I usually just do my art in my room. I've never even thought about getting a mattress because I need the space for canvas usage.”

“You have 3 spare rooms though?”

He chokes on another laugh, “Did you snoop or something, because I don’t remember telling you any of this.”

“You don’t close doors.” Liam smirks letting his hands wonder up into Zayn’s hair now – he doesn’t usually let anyone touch it, not even Louis who knows him the best out of their group – but again, this was Liam – and Liam’s treated him differently – like an equal in so many ways that not even the others do. He smiles around his words yawning sleepily, “You’re snoopy – but I’m willing to put up with you if you’re willing to do that every night.”

It’s Liam’s turn to giggle after that, leaning over him to switch off the lamp beside them before tangling his hand up in his hair again. “Sleep Zayn, you need it.” He replies sweetly as he lets his other hand find Zayn’s beneath the blanket and interlocking them together like they’ve known each other all their lives, because that is what this kind of intimacy speaks. He shuts his eyes after that – just allowing time for him to absorb everything that’s occurred in the last 24 hours give or take. He falls asleep thinking for once that he might be able to actually sleep through the entire night, because he’s suddenly realised – he’s not – not since that very first  night he got shot – because daily he swore he could hear _he’s very lucky to be alive_ over and over.

It was the mantra of his specialist – and there were times before today that he wished he died along with his partner.

But he knows now that there was a reason he _didn’t_.

*

Its early morning, around half 6 when Louis contacts them. Well him – seeing he called him on his phone whilst out on his daily run. There was a meet going off at 2 in the afternoon he found out through his digging – he was told to tell Liam about the progress report and when Zayn asked how he knew he was with Liam, Louis the cheeky bastard had stated he had his GPS locator all night and it said they were on top of each other – well their phones at least. They got till about noon off, because that was the time the swat team could make it, the plan was to swap the weaponry and track it to see where it was going to go. He jogs up the stairs to his place on the 10th floor instead of using the lift this time. He knew he needed the exercise and is greeted by Liam cooking breakfast in the kitchen. He doesn’t usually eat anything in the morning – but the smell of eggs and mushrooms on the stove got his stomach growling soon enough.

“Please go have a shower.” Is the first thing Liam says, “I will not be feeding you anything until you aren’t covered in a sheen of sweat.”

“But I’m dying over here.” He whines, resting his hands over the breakfast bar panting loudly. Liam smiles and rounds the bar, digging his palms into Zayn’s shoulders. He’s guided to the back of his house and deposited by the door of his bathroom. It was different as he keeps reminding himself but it was always real and happening and he wouldn’t change what’s happening for the world.

*

“Can I have food now?” he asks the minute he’s back out into the main living space. Liam’s eyes gawk at him a little, before he controls himself and looks back at his tablet. “You will if you put pants on – did you really have to come out here in just your towel?” Liam enquires – trying really hard to not look at him. Zayn laughs and sits right beside Liam just on the breakfast bar, smirking slightly – and ok, this is new – because while he knew he wasn't bad looking – he didn't openly go round in just his towel nor did he usually flirt with a colleague so damn openly.

“Can I have food now?” He asks again pouting a little maybe on purpose. Liam smiles up at him, before offering him a bite of scrambled eggs from his own plate. He opens his mouth and Liam feeds him it and a couple of more forkfuls before getting up to get more. He only comes back with one plate though, making Zayn smile, because hey – mission accomplished.

“We have to go in at noon. Louis called while I was out.”

“Really? It means we just like have the morning off?” Liam asks as he slips him half of his coffee to drink which he takes happily as he rests his fingers around the mug a little carelessly in the bid to get to the coffee faster.

“Yeah just about,” He smiles after he gulps down a few mouthfuls.

“So what are we doing exactly?”Liam says as he hands him a piece of toast.

He shrugs not really into this type of conversation right now. “So we storm the place take anybody down, swap the real ammo for fake shit with a tracking device and let it run its course, we give the enemy what they want, let them think they’ve succeeded you know.”

“Your team is good.”

“No my team is logical.”

“Hey!” Liam spits laughing his hand reaching out to slap Zayn’s thigh lightly before both of them realise what they’re doing. “I used that on you in the armory yesterday!” Zayn laughs, “I know.”

“Hey Zayn?”

“Yeah?” He says as he jumps off and starts to make his way to his room, to get some clean clothes on.

“You said you speak obscure languages right? What is the weirdest one you know?” Liam asks, Zayn’s mouth spread into an involuntary smile, no one really took the time to ask that before.

“Umm, well I know one called Maltese, basically a slowed down version of Arabic, but they use words from all over Europe it seems.”

“It’s from Malta right? I’ve lived there too.”

“No shit.”

“Yes shit.”

“I did 3 summers there; actually my best friend is from there.”

“You speak it?”

“Just conversational, they all thankfully know English.” He nods starts to walk into his en suit – he does close the door, but he leaves a significant gap, not that he’s an exhibitionist or anything – but it was Liam.

“What’s your favourite word?” He says instead as he slips on his boxers and sweatpants before opening the door fully so that he can fix with his hair while still able to speak to Liam – because honestly if he could that’s the only thing he’d choose to do over boxing.

“ _Ża_ rbun.” Liam laughs lightly as he steps into the room and sits on the bath.  Zayn’s laughing along with him because, “Wait, in all whole of the language, your favourite word in Maltese is shoes?” He’s huffing out completely unable to keep his composure now that Liam’s opened up this question topic.

“Yeah, I just love the way they say it, “ _Ż_ arr-buun.” He extenuates like a child trying to learn the word for the first time.

“You know in my whole career I never found someone who can speak Maltese, like Pashtu, Hindi, Urdu, Arabic, Kurdish, Turkish, Afrikaans, I’ve met people at one point who know all of them, but never Maltese, you’re my first one.”

“I’m happy to be your first at something.” Liam retorts, like he didn’t exactly think about what he was about to say.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing.” Liam says, “That was insensitive, sorry!” Liam stammered. “I really didn’t mean it –.”

“Stop.” He says, rinsing his hands off, because his hair has enough products in it already. Liam's standing behind him now and they're looking at each other through the mirror.

“I know you did mean it, because a tone of voice tells me a lot about a person. Now tell me because we aren’t high school kids meaning we don’t need to skirt around each other like idiots. Liam I’ve been shot, twice through my ribcage perforating my lung, _I’m not supposed to be here_ , I have a track record with partners, they’re all dead and then there is me. I’ve never been faced with someone like you before. I can barely think straight anymore and it’s barely been a two days. Tell me I’m not seeing things, and reading shit wrong because I didn’t think up until the moment I met you that I could fall in love so easily, so fucking readily, but I – ”

He feels a kiss, not even a proper kiss, just a graze of stubble along his jaw line which stopped his thoughts in their tracks.

“I want to.” Liam says, leaning forward so that his hands rest on the sink, tight around Zayn’s waist swerving him around.  “Slowly but I want to.” He whispers tilting his head to kiss his forehead. “I want to prove to you that it’s not your fault that your partners keep killing themselves, that before anything you should always have your own back first. From the minute you walked down those stairs, I knew I would fall for you Zayn, all sharp angles and jagged lines making up a perfectly symmetrical sphere you get to conveniently get to call your face , every movement, every step, every gaze steeped with grace and poise, every syllable you roll off your tongue makes me want to hang onto your every word, with this incessant need to impress you cause you're  meant to be a walk in feature at an art museum not willingly putting yourself in danger to save others. I want to, be able to count your eyelashes one by one, fit in your spaces, maybe we'll figure out we complete a puzzle. You’re right we aren’t kids, but it doesn’t mean I don’t get to love you just as fiercely. Is it bad that I want all the little things already? The morning bed hair, the fuzzy stubble, the morning breath, it all rushed to my mind the minute I saw you and that’s never happened with anyone before.”

Zayn reaches out, his hands fumbling around Liam’s waist – he didn’t know being something with Liam could be this easy.

“If it wasn’t for the impending case we need to solve we’d shag right here.” He whispers lowly as he dips his head so that the bridge of his nose rest on Liam’s shoulder.

“We wouldn’t though, slow and steady wins the race remember? Jumping into something so soon can only hurt us, if we don’t do it right.”

“Do I get to kiss you though?”

“Do you turn into a needy emotional wreak when you’re promised sex?” Liam chuckles leaning in to press his lips to Zayn’s temple – almost shyly.

“No, only for some people, actually just you.” He reddens, even with his face buried in Liam’s collar, he feels so exposed and vulnerable.

“I can live with that.” Liam smiles pulling him in closer to hug him. They laugh as the leave the bathroom in favour for one of the spare rooms so that Zayn could show him his work he’s not really touched for months now. He chuckles when they have to leave and Liam’s immediately reaches out to web their fingers together the moment they slip through the door.  It was like was some kind of invisible pull, like a red string pulling and tugging, but needing them together now that they found each other. For a minute he grins when he looks down between them to watch their hands closely because he wants to marvel at the way they mingle so seamlessly with his, like they’re meant to never leave, creating the possibility in his mind that if everything works out right, this might be a forever thing.

*

“HE PROPOSED!!” Harry’s squealing the minute they walk into HQ. He can see Harry just about jumping up and down in happiness showing off his ring to everyone that gives him the time of day and a shy Niall lurking out in the background just smiling widely. It’s a couple of months since Liam’s joined them now – and they have honestly become inseparable to the point Liam’s just about moved in with him. They’ve not really _progressed_ but after all it was still the beginning of November and they were only starting to fall into their new routines and patterns from which cupcake shop they like best to which cafe makes the best black coffee. Zayn’s starting to learn to share his spaces – comfortably. From buying a new bed to actual furniture for him home. It was weird that first night asking Liam to stay over again – but they found their closeness in each other; effortlessly wrapping themselves in one another like they’re bodies didn’t know any other way. They often sit and discuss that very first case they worked on together – it wasn’t resolved yet. The weaponry was somewhere off the coast of France but they were sitting ducks, not able to do anything until something is done with them. In the meantime they had other important issues – like listening to Harry’s story of their engagement.

*

“Hey,” Liam’s asking as they’re lying together in bed that night, “You think they’re gonna be happy?”

He shrugs, a smile forming around his lips as he leans in further into Liam. “It’s Niall and Harry – those boys have been through everything together including 5 bullet wounds and 15 misses. They’ll be just fine.”

“I want that some day.” It’s like a confession letting itself loose after so many years locked up inside him. “I don’t think I’ve ever said that out loud before.” Liam whispers into his hair slowly, like he’s afraid of the consequences. He shifts, so that he’s lying on his stomach now, looking at Liam through the low light of the shade.  “I want that too – always have wanted since the minute I met you – but we need to let them have this – they already shout at us for being the new partners on the block and getting all the attention – we let them have this ok?”

Liam nods and  reaches out to switch off the light, he can see the moon from outside shimmering on his face now as he resettles, shading him in a manner that makes Zayn want to lean up to kiss him, Liam smiles and pulls him back, his hand sitting heavily on the back of his neck, just on his fantail.  “We’ll get there someday, I promise Zayn.” It’s more of a statement rather than a promise – but he swears to God it feels more like an, _I love you_ hidden between the slits that he knows make up Liam’s heart.

*

 It’s slow after that, to the point Liam turns his head when Zayn leans up to kiss him – but it’s ok mostly even if it’s like a dagger took to his heart more often than not. It’s not being rejected as such – after all they share a bed every night now – but it still hurts that Liam’s idea of slow is torturous. Liam was off packing up the last things he had at his flat – Zayn had only been there once and while spacious it was old and unloved. Not Liam’s flat itself but the old building reeked of weed and it looked like it was just about ready to fall apart. Liam had looked at him with such joy when he asked him to move in with him – because that place was horrible on a whole different level.

 There is banging on the door but he refuses to get up so he shouts an, _it’s open_ from his living room before Harry is stumbling in hurriedly and locking the door behind him.

“What do you need Haz?” Harry’s shaking looking at him like he’s ready to dash, so he sits himself up and pats the space next to him. Harry gladly sinks into him, like relief coming off his shoulders by just Zayn’s touch to his hair.

“What’s up Harry?” He asks again just as Harry stretches himself out and toes off his shoes.

“I want you to be my best man.” It’s soft and if it wasn’t for his conditioned sensitive hearing thanks to bomb squad training he swears he could have missed it. He smiles down at Harry before, “Why are you so down about something like that though?”

“Because Zayn, you’re you and everyone wants to be you – it’s a little hard to not be afraid of you sometimes, but the wedding is a month away and I’ve been slaving 5 months over every detail – but I couldn’t get myself to ask you because it’s so hard to get over your perfectness sometimes to the point me and Niall sit there and question if you’re actually real.”

Zayn’s a little perplexed – because he didn’t expect Harry’s stark white confession coming out of his mouth this early in the morning. Liam is insistent on telling him that he’s scary and unapproachable at first – but he’s worked with Harry for 5 years now – bonded over their love for under ground music and eyeliner on more than one occasion – he didn’t know Harry was apprehensive around him.

“I’d love to.” He whispers, “And please don’t be afraid of me, that’s unsettling.” He laughs. Harry beams up at him smiling so widely Zayn’s worried his face might fall off. “I’d love to say I’m not going to be but you just took down 10 guys yesterday _alone_ Zayn, because Liam was too busy getting that blasted coffee of yours. “

“And Liam still is kicking himself silly for it, but yes I’d love to Harry, honestly.”

“Thanks.” Harry smiles “Can I have tea?” He laughs – because that’s so typical Harry.

*

He’s given a couple of weeks off, for final visits to doctors for final assessments. In the meantime Harry and Niall eloped in a small wedding celebrated on the border of Ontario in Canada, because while the US had some states that offered them good packages – Harry had his heart set on a lakeside wedding venue of Lake Cecebe.   He smiles when he remembers Liam trying to do up his bow tie – he couldn’t for shits just like he still couldn’t do up a tie but it reminded Zayn of what he sees in movies – and he smiles because as cheesy as it was Liam _was_ or rather _is_ his Prince Charming.

He was so happy Liam was there with him, for every appointment he had to go to, sometimes feeling like he was about to give birth, not check up on a puncture wound, but it showed him Liam cared and he really couldn’t ask for anything else. Someone he adored finally gave a toss about what could happen to him. It made his butterflies soar and his heart dance around like he did with the pixies when he was 12 and acting in Midsummer night dream. 

He looks up at Liam now because they were on a long haul trip over the pond – on the insistence of Harry that he and Liam should take the time to make something out of what they’ve slowly built up over the months.

 Liam held Zayn in his arms, tight but he could see that the window shutters were pulled up so, so that he could see the sunrise from the bright pink streaks to its wispy orange strands, cutting quite the contrast from their first class royal navy blue and gold seat.  It was clear quite visibly and quietly beautiful with the still purple haze lingering on the opposite side. Liam was asleep still, his breathing heavy like that of a smoker even though he wasn’t and his grip on Zayn’s waist tight like he was afraid Zayn would fall out of the little bit of space they claimed as their own.

Zayn shifts to grab his book that he had placed in the pocket just before he fell asleep and slowly sits up to not disturb Liam. He grabs the blanket off their feet and hikes it up so that it covers Liam’s shoulders. It was chilly for some reason even if they had first class seats.

He walks over to Harry and Niall who were blissfully lost in some crossword and sits on their lap, smiling as he sees that Niall comfortably fits between Harry’s thighs in the same fashion he does with Liam.

“What brings you back to us, oh holy one?”

He chuckles at Niall’s remark. “Liam’s asleep.”

“Oh ho there we go; we are replacement entertainment again aren’t we.” Niall practically sing songs as he throws the pen he was using in his direction. Although it hits Louis, who groans loudly before he chucks it back smiling.

“You really aren’t though.”

“That’s not the way I see it.” Harry says now, “It’s nice though, seeing you all happy for once.”

“It’s just a thing though.”

“It’s always been more than _just a thing_ Malik and you know it.”

“It’s not like we hook up.”

“Wait what?”

“It’s not like we hook up.” He says again almost annoyed.

“Wait,” Louis spoke moving forward to join him on his own seat, “You two act more like a married couple, than the actual _married couple_.” He says flicking his index finger over towards Harry and Niall.

“I agree,” Niall interrupts, “you two are worse than us in the middle of our courtship.”

“Well,” He shrugs, “Liam wants to take it slow, and we are genuinely stuck in the friendship level but sometimes he lets me kiss him.”

“Taking it slow doesn’t mean – how many months has it been already?”

"Ten, Niall.” He laughs rolling his eyes to look at the view outside the window instead.

“Right, it doesn’t mean not doing _anything_ for 10 god damn months – you live together dude – you _sleep_ in the same bed, what the hell!” His thick Irish accent stresses his words as they harshly roll off his tongue, like he’s genuinely upset for him. Niall doesn’t slip into his native tongue often, but he tends to when he’s either drunk or angry. He likes that about his team – he and Harry are British, Niall’s Irish, Louis was born in Paris but raised in New York, and Liam – where does he start. They weren’t typical or ordinary – they wouldn’t have just met each other if it wasn’t for this job they do that brought them together.

Zayn shrugs, he does think Liam’s idea of slow is vexing, but it means he’s gotten time to actually know Liam, love him for just his soul – and his Captain America pyjama bottoms that fit Liam so well, but Zayn so big.

“I don’t know how to progress – last time I did try anything, he just backed up like a deer caught in headlights.”

Louis half jokes, “You don’t think he’s a virgin do you?”

It’s silly considering they are both 26 years old, but Zayn never thought of it that way.

“Or maybe something happened to him during it so he hates sex.” Harry says as he buries himself in Niall's collarbone, laughing happily as they clink they’re wedding bands together. A tight feeling takes over his stomach, _he wants that with Liam_.

“Shut it, all of you. It’s my issue to resolve.”

“Babe, “Louis whispers, “You’re on this team; your problems are all ours.” He sighs and slumps into Louis, he misses spending time with him cause all his time off now work is spent trying to please Liam. With Louis he didn’t have to try. Louis just was there unwavering and steady, even when he did sometimes push him away. It was like this between them – this bond – that envelops both of them and rationally it shouldn’t under any circumstances work, but his team is his family, his _life_ and when it all gets too much he knows he can leave and they’ll all be right there the minute he comes back to them.

However he likes that Liam loves him a way that differs from this kind of brotherly love. Liam loves him in a way that means it diffuses him, drops his barriers, his restraints, his regrets. In ways that makes his heart sing and his fingers shake. In ways that for once there is no pretence, no pre set lie, no barricade to his very core, and he recognises that is rear and if he could it’s a feeling no – a way of living he never wants to let go of, because he finds that is where he’s at his happiest, where he is able to pick up his pencils again and sketch for hours, and even if it happens to be the shape of a sharp jaw and the curve of a small mouth but full lips it has meant that he is happier, he’s freer and madder and he knows he’s fallen so suddenly but completely in love. It’s a feeling he can’t replicate – a feeling he doesn’t want to let go of. This world that Liam’s created for him has become his lifeline, his _everything_ – his _jaan_.

 

He grins under the pale glow of the sun that’s still rising outside; it’s now bright haze hitting his face lightly as Louis leans over him to grab his own book dropping a kiss of his forehead as they resettle comfortably back into each other. He like it like this, the lack of need to small talk, that comfortable silence they only find in each other, because Niall’s too loud sometimes, Harry’s too talkative and Liam’s too needy. It balances them in a way that they can all find comfort with a touch of the knee or a leg flung over someone’s lap, and recently his head buried in the confines of Liam’s chest. He likes what all five of them, with a little help from Hetty have created together. The stability they now have, the security they found in each other, the strength they gifted one another to keep going and as Louis tightens his grip on Zayn’s waist, he sighs happily as he lets the quiet lull of the plane engine and Louis’ steady heartbeat sing him back into sleep, he’s got about 8 more hours on this flight; he might as well make the best use of it.

*

They land in Oslo at about 5pm local time, and Zayn grins because this for some reason feels like home. Not the Norwegian city as such, but he’s on the side of the Atlantic Ocean he’d much rather spend his life on. If he had the choice he’d be on a mobile unit, he likes the idea of being able to materialise anywhere in the world within 24 hours because they are, they are stationary, with always that constant possibility of having to fly out somewhere. He likes the territory of the mobile units. Eating, living, sleeping with his team, there constantly for whatever they might need 24/7. He loves his job, he really does but sometimes he feels like he’s missing out, because he’s stationed in one city and everything is addressed from there. The mobile units whilst still under NCIS, report only to Homeland.

They tell him he gets his thirst of travel from his mother – he never knew her so he can’t really assess it.

“Oi! Zayn!” Someone is shouting as he’s simultaneously dragged the opposite way he was going.

“It’s this way you donut.” Liam’s laughing, “Come on, we have a flight to catch, these dumb nuts get a hotel room now. We get more air time.”

The others wave them off as he and Liam hurry through the connection gates. Louis gives him little thumbs up and a wink, just seconds before he passes through last minute security checks for the flight. He’s waived through and Liam’s grabbing his hand luggage with one hand and slipping warm fingers between his with the other. Zayn’s bottom lip latches with his teeth as he bites down, trying to shake off his surprise.

They settle back into their new seats and wait for the emergency information to proceed. Liam's sitting by the window this time, they book economy. Neither he nor Liam are fussy like Harry or claustrophobic like Niall. They can sit the next 3 hours in peace and quiet; if possible tangled up together like vines envelop trees, because that’s how Liam’s weaved himself into Zayn’s heart, he wrapped himself around the drawings of his being with no preamble. To the point he sees now no other life without Liam there right by his side. Liam managed to build that cord between them, the one he felt on the very first day, but he knew it was now stronger, tougher he sees now – the waiting has made them, well – less breakable.

They take off with their hands tucked tight between each others, their cheeks tickled pink from the comment one of the air hostesses passed about them being a cute couple. Neither of them correct her, instead Liam offers him one of his ear phones so that Zayn too could watch Marley and Me, the film provided for by the airline as in-flight entertainment. Liam lifts the armrest between them and  lays his head on Zayn’s chest, allowing Zayn to run his bony fingers though Liam’s now longer hair shaping it out slightly. His quiff crushed from the already long haul flight but the smell of apple shampoo and diesel cologne still strong on Liam’s body. He breathes that in and reaches up to his own hair to pull off his beanie and place it over Liam’s messed up mane before he ties his own up in a bun. Something Liam begged him to keep.

Liam sighs into him happily as Zayn tightens his grip on Liam’s shoulder. They don’t do this often. Liam’s usually the big spoon, an unspoken arrangement whenever they hang out, but sometimes Liam needed this, needed Zayn to hold him and touch him, needed Zayn as his anchor, to always be ready for anything that comes to them.  Their job is hectic and the pressured environment they work in does nothing for their moods more often than not, but they find solace in each other’s habits, and as they started to properly get to know each other they started to mould into each other, almost as if they are one person, one unit.

They have 5 weeks off in total, and he just wishes that Liam finally lets him in fully – because while they are close – Zayn wants, not almost needs, more.

Liam nudges up at him, grabbing Zayn’s hand tighter as he kicks his buckle and shoes off at the same time to pull his legs underneath him. They might have booked economy class but they weren't the kind of daft to not book out the third seat next them.

“Hey,” Liam whispers. “I wanna talk if that’s ok.” And it’s shy almost timid, like he’s been contemplating it for a while now.

“I’d like that.” He answers, his arm releasing Liam to allow him to sit up as he slips their earphones out of their ears and into his hand. Liam however grabs them and places them on the seat taking his hands and squeezes them hard, like he’s looking for some reassurance, so Zayn nods. He swivels on his knees just after, so that he’s facing towards Zayn and he’s smiling, he’s smiling so widely that it radiates just with the same light and energy that reflects off skyscrapers in the summer sun in the New York City, but then Liam’s leaning in, he’s so close that Zayn can feel the pulse in his throat and see the glint of mischief in Liam’s eyes like he’s never saw them before. He’s frozen because he’s wanted this for so long, for him to be able to rub his nose against Liam’s, or run a finger down the sharp line of his jaw and simply lean in and calm Liam down when he’s frustrated over a case, but all his thoughts fade when Liam presses his lips lightly onto his, like he’s testing the waters, making sure that Zayn’s on board with this, just as much as he is, so Zayn presses back.

It’s a soft peck to start with; he blushes as he feels Liam’s soft lips flatten slightly against the tip of his nose, and then Liam’s tugging at his bottom lip slightly, kissing him with a force that seriously makes him question why he didn’t say fuck it and did this himself before, because it’s not like they’ve not kissed before, soft small pecks before bed or after morning coffee, but they’ve never kissed like _this_ and he does remember that he wanted Liam to be ready, wanted Liam to come to him in his own time. Rather than force something on him so soon after they met, because he thinks there is far more to Liam than he’s ever told Zayn, and he knows that they’ve shared a lot with each other.

He lets himself part their lips for a minute, if only to pull the lapels of Liam’s jacket closer, and then he feels Liam’s arms encase him and he can see that Liam’s the shadow of the man he was a couple of minutes ago, because there is no hesitancy in his kissing now, his tongue seeking out Zayn’s lips in such a manner it leaves him weak at the knees. Liam’s tongue is swiping swiftly across the contours of his mouth like he’s memorising Zayn, letting himself be imprinted onto the very surface of Zayn’s being, but also biting harshly into Zayn’s very core, sitting there. Staying there, never allowed to leave.

 Liam tastes of coke and snickers and he wants to laugh, because he’s a special agent for fucks sake, he doesn’t do PDA, let alone something as outrageous as making out on a plane, but it’s ok, because it’s _Liam_ and he’s wanted this for months now and he’d be damned if he didn’t allow himself this one pleasure, representing the agency or not.  He lets his hands wonder up Liam’s back and up underneath the beanie he had on because he wanted to feel Liam’s soft hair again, and that tips Liam because he lets out a soft moan followed sharply by a bite to the bottom of Zayn’s lips and he’s pretty sure at this rate his lips will be swollen for hours but that doesn’t come close to the delectable burn Liam’s stubble leaves on his skin. They stay like that locked together until they couldn’t help it any longer, so he reluctantly pulls away, staying close enough to be able to drop soft kisses and pecks to their hearts content.

Well at least until there is a throat clearing coming from in front of them, which isn’t possible logically but it still makes him turn his head, out of their bubble to look at the screen that was supposed to be playing the film, but rather he sees Hetty’s face, and he sighs, thinking about all the 18 different ways he could kill her with the paperclip she was holding. He rushes to find the earphones and hands one to Liam to in turn quickly unfolds himself to look more presentable.

“Excuse me Gentlemen.  While it’s nice to finally see you’ve both got your shit together, I’m going to have to cut short your vacation because the GPS on the fake arterially from the Hastings case last summer is being moved. Our intelligence suggests that they are in transit as we speak.”

Zayn sits up to reach for the comms. in his backpack, activating them and handing one to Liam.

“So what do you want us to do exactly, we are stuck on a plane for the next 2 hours Hetty.” Liam states just after he puts it in his ear.

“Yes, they are in motion as we talk Mr. Malik we have also picked up the Commander via the collaboration of Interpol – he’s in the area.  It looks like they are heading to Switzerland at the moment; we won’t do anything until they enter Italy however. You will enjoy the rest of your time off, but be ready to be called in when we know what is happening. I’ve got our back up Reine running the show seeing the lovely Mr. Tomlinson decided to skip town with the rest of you.  You will be hearing from me. Stay safe.”

And with that she was gone. He exhales heavily and lets Liam hand him the in-ear before tugging his own legs up beneath him leaning into Liam as Liam’s hand comes to sit tightly on his waist.

“She isn’t that bad. At least she didn’t bring down the plane.” He chuckles softly against Liam’s chest, smiling as he felt Liam’s heartbeat increase slightly.

“I don’t know how she even hooked up the camera so that she was sat there watching us kiss to be honest.”

Liam laughs, “She’s got her ways, and at least she wasn’t drinking her exotic teas again.”

“You said you wanted to talk before you kissed me.” Zayn says changing the subject. He didn’t want to speak about work now; it was time off for a reason.

“Yeah – I just I’m sorry for being cant.” Liam starts slipping the earphones out of their ears and tightening the hold on his waist.

“You aren’t the only one with a bad rep regarding partners.” Liam sighs loudly and pushes him down so that Zayn’s head is lying on his lap. He shifts so that he’s looking up at Liam and blissfully extending his legs. “I was engaged once. She was my partner for 5 months, my girlfriend for 4 years. I was 22 and I had thought she was it for me. The bastard shot four bullets, one hitting her heart, the other her brain, the other two hit her chest. I had promised myself to never fall for another person in the force again, and it was working until I met you.”

Liam stops and takes the time to press soft fingers down his nose, jaw line and neck, caressing slowly like he’s savouring every minute, it makes more sense the way Liam shoots now, his targets always getting hit in the heart first. “I just wanted to be sure, before I jumped into it again with you, because I’ve wanted you so bad Zayn, but I just needed time to come to terms with the fact that she’s gone, she’s never coming back but God’s granted me a gift in the form of you, and I’d be mad if I didn’t say I wanted to be with you.”

Zayn wants to cry – that is another thing he doesn’t do, but fuck that honestly because this was what he’s wanted for the last 10 months now. He grabbed the back of Liam’s neck bringing him down so that Liam’s chin was grazing his nose.

“I’m not supposed to be saying this, since we aren’t even together yet, but I love you. Have done so since that very first week, fuck that very first day when we just threw you to the sharks. I want it all with you, the morning breath, the silly fights over who gets coffee first, shit Liam I want you to meet my sisters and I’ve never wanted anyone close to them before. I just wanted to give you your space before I did something I might have regretted but I’d like it all with you if we could.”

“I think if we tried we can.”

“Like Mr and Mrs Smith.”

“Yeah, just on the right side of history.”

“And we don’t want to kill each other.” He chuckles out as he leans up to kiss Liam, and the angles awkward and this time they keep getting looks from the couple on the opposite side but they don’t really give a toss because _finally_ they got somewhere and Zayn can’t be happier.

*

The Villa is beautiful. They had chosen to go to Italy because Liam had promised that first day, and looking back it seemed that they did unconsciously plan their whole off time together, like Louis had said, an actual married couple. He smiles as he remembers Liam stressing over which one to pick and the way he had gone over and picked the first one off the list while resting his arms around Liam’s neck chuckling together as they had watched Harry freak out over where to take Niall for their honeymoon, finally deciding to go to Oslo, the first mission they were assigned to on the Red team, before joining him in LA a few months later.

They are currently located south of the village of Rocchetta Nervina – renting a car from the airport almost an hour away. Like other areas of Italy, the landscape was dotted with ochre-coloured farmhouses and occasional castles, which have remained in the hands of their original families for generations. It for some reason gave Zayn a sense of security. The imposing buildings working their magic and making him want to still time to stay here with Liam forever. It felt like a dream, wrapping around he and Liam in a way they never asked for. It was the little things, from getting lost a couple times, to stopping to take pictures of the beautiful scenery, it felt so utterly foreign to him, in a good way.

They had booked a little villa, with its roman and terracotta tiles and earthy tones it was welcoming yet intriguing in a way it made Zayn want to climb up to the roof and paint the world away. The sun was setting, glowing with the soft velvet colours of pinks and purples, he could hear the gushing of the river in the distance, see the yellow ball on the horizon disappearing and he could see the moon rising in its place. It was almost 8pm now and he was happy when they were greeted with the smell of sepia pasta with porcini over the grill and Bruschetta over the open oven, drizzling with olive oil and pomodoro.  After such a long trip he was ready to drop dead out cold for hours but when Signora Angotti opened the door for them and handed them the keys before helping them with their luggage he was dying to see where the wonderful smell was coming from.

“Va bene, Signora, I’ll keep that in mind.” Liam was saying, from the little conversation he heard it was about the regulation of the open oven; the woman had shown them around and even chose their bedroom for them. He’ll deal with that later, right now a little girl was coming up the hill running screaming and crying.

“Mamma, Mamma, mia nonna sono morte!! Mamma,Mamma!” His heart broke for the little girl, barely 6, with beautiful dark black hair and mesmerizing grey eyes, screwed up so tightly barely able to communicate what she needed to say.

Signora Angotti came out of the kitchen where she was with Liam in a hurry to rush to the little girl, trying to calm her down, repeating her name over and over again. She stands up again with the child with her, holding her tight as she slowly whispers her apologise in Italian before hurrying back down the hill to her own house he imagines.

“My Grandmother is dead, that’s what that little girl was saying.” Liam says as he looks at Zayn and opens his arms. Zayn gladly walks into Liam who stumbles slightly before stabilising them, holding hard onto Liam’s waist for support.

“I don’t even know this family but my heart breaks for them.”

“I know,” Liam replies as he drops a kiss onto Zayn’s forehead.

“Little Fia must have seen the most awful shit.”

“Hey, let’s not do this now.” Liam says straightening their priorities. “We have shit to do.”

“But I’m tired!!” He practically whines.

“I know eat the bread.” Liam chuckles as he moves away to hand him a piece of bruschetta, grabbing a bowl of pasta to share,” now sit down, we have research to do.

“Yes Mr.Bossy.” He teases as he walks to his backpack to take out his laptop.

 They don’t talk for the best part of 6 hours just going over their research and making sure they have everything in place for when they need to be called in. This was the nature of their jobs, it meant sleep wasn’t really high on their _to do_ list, but if Zayn was given the time, he’d gladly wouldn’t move out of bed if necessary. They’ve always been able to work diligently when needed, because they knew that without proper research they are dead meat, he only gives up for the night when he spots that Liam had dozed off some time previously.

Zayn stands to stretch, loosening up his locked joints as he walks to make coffee and eat some now cold bruschetta. He can’t help himself its good. He plays with the oven for a minute before figuring out how to place the kettle on the fire and being able to get it back out again. He loves that people in the world are still in a vacuum. Locked in time, living in a world there barely any technology has touched them while in his reality he’s plugged to the internet 24/7.

 He chuckles at the glass jars that sweetly state their purpose. He lifts the lid off the _caffè_ one and pours a teaspoon into his mug. He hears Liam shuffling about in the living room, and the toilet flushing and the sink faucet opened and closed before a pair of strong arms wrap around him as Liam’s chin drops onto his shoulders.

“Morning you.” He giggles out leaning into Liam before he takes a second mug out of the cupboard, this time opening the _tè_ and _zucchero_ to make Liam his tea.

“It’s about 4am, the jetlag is horrible.” Liam whimpers, “Why are you up?”

“I didn’t sleep.” He says turning his head to kiss Liam’s cheek before moving away to deal with the now whistling kettle. He pours out the water into their respective matching mugs handing it to Liam. “Have tea instead.” Liam smiles at him and takes it wrapping his hands around the mug because there was a chill to the morning. “But I hate tea.” He pouts – which would be a travesty if Zayn didn’t lean in and kiss it off his face. “I know,” He laughs, “but it helps with the jetlag.”

They sit outside just listening to the gushing water coming from the waterfall nearby, he can see the water actually running down the mountain and in the morning stillness it’s one of the most beautiful things he’s ever witnessed in his life. It explains why Rocchetta Nervina needed a dam now, because the water needed to be harnessed and controlled. They sat in relative peace simply wrapped around each other like cocoons – it’s when he realises, “Liam are you smelling me?” He laughs around his mouthful of coffee.

Liam laughs and pulls him inside to the warm of the fire and onto the table. He climbs on top of it and lies down flat on it, “Hmm maybe.” He says tapping the side of his nose laughing as Zayn crawls up on top of him, effectively straddling him. “What do I smell like then?” He teases as his hands work at Liam’s abs, poking his taut muscles, making Liam cry with laughter.

“At the moment lavender and cologne.” Liam says smiling through his laughing, smiling up at him, his hand reaching out to bring Zayn down onto him, their noses touching, “but usually mystery and gunpowder.” He squawks, because seriously.

“It’s true!” Liam laughs defending himself, reaching up to press a kiss on both of Zayn’s eyelids.

“How is that possible though – we live together!”

“And? It’s still hard to get a read on you sometimes Zayn honestly – you’re like this mystical being too good to be true.”

“Well get used to it ,” He laugh nipping his teeth against Liam’s throat lightly, “Cause I’m not planning on going anywhere.” He says tilting his head up to press a kiss to Liam’s lips this time.

“I can live with that.” Liam answers kissing back, harder, needier this time.

“I have prayers in a minute.” He tells Liam between their kisses, “You can watch if you want.”

“You don’t let me do that often.”

“It’s cause I know it’s a distraction especially when we're in the middle of a case, you’d find anything to avoid research.” He laughs.

“Oh,” Liam smirks, “I thought you were gonna say you knew I was looking at your arse.”

“You wouldn’t!” He chokes, reaching out to slap Liam’s bicep lightly.

“I kinda do.” Liam chuckles as he reaches up for a kiss again.

“I want to take a trip to the village today,” Liam whispers quietly after a while,  “if that’s ok, I’ve seen a lot of Italy but never up here at the foothills of the alps, wanted to save that to be with someone special I guess.” Zayn blushes at Liam’s own admission, “Guess I’m the someone special? After all this entire trip was your idea, I would have been happy with staying home catching up on 12 Monkeys.”

Liam snorts, “No you wouldn’t, you’d be complaining why we didn’t go somewhere with Harry and Niall for their honeymoon like they suggested.”

“Well,” he says, biting on Liam’s lower lip. “I wouldn’t have wanted to _go_ with them anyway. So this is perfect.”

“Thought so.” Liam smiles before leaning back in one last time before he needs to leave for Wudu.

*

“Buongiourno ragazzi! Venire a provare il mio salame.” It was an old town. It looked renaissance, with its paved streets and old time merchants, it was beautiful so very quaint, it looks like time had forgotten this place all together, leaving it to function as its own world, with not that much intrusion from the world outside.  It was so different from big shot LA, and the streets they are used to.  They wave off the old man selling Salami, because Zayn can’t have any, shouting out a _No Grazie_ as Liam chuckles at him grabbing his hand as they stop at the cheese stall to try the best the town can offer them. It’s a bustling little town, with tourists arriving and going, the street littered with families due to the summer season approaching fast meaning the only good holiday deals were offered before school timed out. They laugh as Zayn kicks back a football that came there way, the little boy so pleased that he didn’t have to run all the way over to them to retrieve it. They walk through to the piazza, nodding in respect at the elders of the town that sit around on chairs, smoking or playing chess.

It’s a different world out here, where he can forget that he has a badge in his pocket and a gun laced around his ankle, his Swiss army knife just in his pocket because for crying out loud, women were washing clothes outside in the middle of the streets drawing up lines of clothes between the walkways and alleyways that make up this tiny town.

If he wants Zayn’s arms reached from one side of the street to the other, it’s the best place to just escape and for a couple weeks, live a different reality.

He leans in so that he’s able to lay his head on Liam’s shoulder, his hand sliding into the back pocket of Liam’s jeans just as Liam moves his own tightly around his waist. “You know this is the best place to retire too.”

“I was just thinking that.” Liam chuckles as they walk through to the lake, it’s a dam, its water flowing out fast as it settles in a pool of gleaming light blue water. Black pebbles in place to make up for the lack of sand.

He bends down to pick one up.

“What’s that for?”

“I wanna remember this place, this time with you, us, here being normal and alone and just spending time together other than something as simple as _partners_.” He slides his fingers over the smooth stone. It’s a perfect oval, light grey slate and heavy.

Liam smiles wide, his mouth spreading itself wide so naturally that he starts to question why Liam doesn’t smile like this all the time; Liam takes it from him and slides out a sharpie from his pocket and writes down a simple _Z +L_ along with the date 20-05-15 before handing it back to Zayn, and leaning down to steal a kiss off his lips making him chuckle in happiness. Zayn thumbs it with happiness before dropping it into his pocket.

It’s a sunny day, however they find themselves alone it is still quiet and blissful because everyone prefers to be exploring the hooks and crannies of the town rather than walk idly along pools of water.

They sit on the edge of the rocks, right next to a cove where Liam like a child wants to go in and investigate. He negates so Liam goes inside alone, allowing him time to text Louis to check in and see how he’s holding up with all the shagging. He laughs when Lou sends him a _hell on earth mate i tell you who the fuck let these two idiots get married!!!!!_

It’s cheesy but it’s fully expected so he lets himself dial Louis’ number before he changes his mind.

“Zayn Javadd!” Louis booms the minute he picks up the call, what do I owe this pleasure exactly. You don’t make phone calls other if you’re wanting me to activate comm. for OSP.”

He laughs and decides to unlace his boots. He’s off duty, he can allow himself this.

“Just wanted to check up on and maybe tell you Liam kissed me yesterday ya know.”

“No way bro, see it finally happened.” He giggles, “No shit Sherlock, kinda told him I love him to, cause ya know.”

“Bloody hell Malik, you work fast!”

“I try, I try.” He chuckles just as he feels Liam literally fall over him, settling promptly with his arms around Zayn’s waist and chin on his shoulders his feet pulled up by the side, listening in on his conversation.

“Dude, we gotta go, Hetty made a special call via one of our plane seats and we can be called in any minute, so we don’t wanna waste time if I’m honest.”

“Hey fuck you, I’m the 5th wheel now Malik, remember, I know all your scrummy little secrets!”

“Stop it Louis!” He blushes, “I’ll speak soon.”

“You bloody better! “ Louis jokes as he hangs up the phone.

He swipes his phone to open his camera, quickly leaning into Liam to press a kiss to his cheek, snapping the picture and saving it as his new lock screen. Liam smiles and does the same, only he kisses Zayn full on the lips. He chuckles and sends Louis the picture, just before losing his phone to the rocks as Liam climbs on top of him.

“I wanna get you off,” Liam says, “oh you’re clean yeah?” like an afterthought.

“Liam we are in the middle of a public space used by children, you can’t!” He tries but Liam’s already taking off his jacket to put it under Zayn’s head as he’s pushing him down to lay him out flat. He wasn’t really expecting Liam to want to do stuff this fast but it was fine; it wasn’t as if they were strangers.

“Hey, hey, wait a little, come here and yes Liam, I’ve not shagged anyone in over a year thank you.” He huffs as he pulls Liam down on top of him. He half kisses him, out of instinct and the knowledge that he can now. He loves the way his hips ache to hump at his jeans already, indirectly Liam’s dick as they kiss with more vengeance now.  Liam’s lips are shiny from the pressure, almost swollen but they are nothing compared to his crinkled eyes that shine down so brightly at him. He skims warm fingertips along the fullness of Liam’s cheeks before leaning back up to capture his lips as his hands glide to the back of Liam’s head, settling them deep in his hair as Liam starts to work his way down on him, his eyebrows get two kisses each, his nose, his chin, his Adams apple, Liam dips down to kiss his now healed scar, it makes Zayn shiver with pleasure that he forgives Liam for omitting kissing his lips on purpose because they both knows it will ignite something in him, that need to react.

A thumb presses on his hip tattoo. His _don’t think I won’t_ and he fucking swears to God he hears Liam whisper against his skin a shy hushed out, almost promise like, _love you forever._ And that sparks his need of want, his need to push his dick inside of Liam’s pretty mouth and fuck his sweet nothings out of him.  He starts raking dull nails over Liam’s scalp and presses his head further down just as Liam’s taking his time to push up his shirt and unbuckling his jeans, unashamedly pushing them down past Zayn’s knees. Zayn presses his face to the inside of his arm, no matter how comfortable they are, they’ve trodden over lines here, burned the _friendship_ bridge right through to the ground and from the sizzling ruins it’s being rebuilt as something more, something that goes by the term _lovers_ instead. Something he’s wanted since the very first moment he’s met Liam.

Liam keens at the sight of Zayn’s dick, and bites harshly at his bottom lip. He looks up, almost looking up for the last final confirmation that yes this is real and it’s happening and that no it isn’t another wet dream.  After that Liam latches onto his head, sucks around his dick like he was built for it. It’s not clumsy and neither is it virginal in a way that no, Liam wasn’t new to this; even if he was engaged to a woman once upon a time. Liam scrapes his teeth over his taut skin, and runs his tongue gently up and down his length. He suckles at his head with a tight mouth; drawing fingers out from where they had been resting against Zayn’s thigh to palm his shaft to stroke his balls. He looks up when Zayn makes almost a mewling sound that involuntary escape his lips; he smirks up at Zayn almost as if he was begging him for _more_. Zayn takes the opportunity to grab the back of Liam’s head and pushes himself further into him, almost harshly, but he knows at this rate he’s not going to last, with the way Liam’s eyes water slightly at the force of his thrusts.

He comes straight down Liam’s throat and Liam takes it all smiling when he’s finally allowed to come up for air.  Liam starts dropping kisses that might seem a little skittish and a little clumsy but Liam’s fisting himself tightly in his jeans before he spurts and is falling over Zayn’s hip, riding out his own high.

Zayn pulls him up to press kisses somewhere between Liam’s jaw and nose, scraping his fingers under Liam’s shirt over Liam’s firm back muscles and chest. He sighs happily lost between the drag of what had just happened and the beautiful place they found themselves in. A finger lingers across the Arabic script underneath his collarbone, seeing Liam had managed to find a way to get rid of his shirt so that the front hem of it was not sitting at the back of his neck right over his fantail. Liam’s fingers searching for the hallow spaces now that make up Zayn’s entire being. Zayn’s shadows in the wind so to speak, hiding swiftly in the darkness every time he bares parts of his soul to people.

“I didn’t expect that to go in that way.” Liam’s saying as he’s leaning up to press a kiss to Zayn’s nose.

“Good or bad?”

“Good, better – fuck I can’t even think yet.” Liam chuckles, and Zayn think he’s doing this right, never have sex without laughing through it like an idiot he had heard once at the academy, and it’s true he realises, what’s the point if it wasn’t taking place between friends too, not just strangers.

He rattling out a laugh and he doesn't mind that he’s still half naked lost somewhere in one of Italy’s remotest villages, for a minute, because he and Liam created a bubble between them, one he hopes never bursts.

They sit up and slowly tuck themselves back into their jeans, Liam reaching over, slapping his hands lightly away to close his top jeans button himself, laughing as he watches Zayn wrestle with his top to bring it back down into its normal position, but they don’t stand up. Instead Zayn tugs Liam close and unlaces his shoes, copying Zayn as he takes his boots and socks off pulling out his gun to stuff into the back of his jeans so that he’s able to roll them up to his ankles. He laughs at Liam when they both realise he’s got a wet spot, teases lightly while pulling Liam over to the end to the sea.

He personally couldn’t swim but he likes to compare the sea to time, because just like the tide that you see in the ocean there just for that moment, it’s never coming back. The sea for him has this mist of anonymity, just like him and his job, it’s ever changing. It regenerates itself like he can slip into his multiple personas and live his different lives.  He identifies that he’s just like a wave. Here today and gone tomorrow, but since he’s met Liam he’s starting to realise that he wants to lay his sticks down somewhere – somewhere permanent he can call his own. Build a family, build a life, _build a home_ and it’s been easy to come to that decision, that he wants to get out in a couple years time, as long he’s got Liam by his side, and in his bed, forever.

All of a sudden he feels Liam’s hands around his waist, and he’s being lifted up from across his middle and being carried further into the water. He’s whining and laughing at the same time squirming and thrashing trying to get Liam to let go of him and in all honesty it feels like he’s 15 again, back in Bradford discovering who he wants to be as a man. Enjoying the little things, laughing unabashedly, for the first time in years actually enjoying himself.  Liam settles him down on his feet in the cold water – he can see where it goes deeper only a few centimetres away from his feet – he shivers and Liam pulls him closer to him.

“We have to come again here – it’s incredible.” Liam whispers as he brings their heads flush together – their noses touching.  “Yeah I know.” He replies smiling easily, leaning in to kiss Liam’s lips gently smiling as he feels them part for him hungrily, not even caring that they're standing in water up to their thighs. He's shivering slightly, but this just _felt_ right.

“But when it means something – not for the sake of it.” He chatters out, he knows his lips are turning blue now.

“Most definitely.” Liam agrees grinning grabbing his waist to drag them back across to the pebbles before unceremoniously dumps Zayn and himself onto the ground. Zayn takes the opportunity to climb over Liam again, languidly almost. Gently leaning down to place his head on Liam’s shoulder before falling beside him happily. Liam radiates heat - one of the many reasons Zayn likes to cuddle up to him, even if they constantly bicker about whether pulling the blanket over them or not. Zayn gets cold fast. It's a thing.

“It’s gotta be without these in our pockets.” He shrugs as he takes out his identification badge out slowly starting to spin it in between his fingers.

“I’d like that. Not Italy as such, but Europe. I want to travel around, hitch rides, get onboard cheap trains, see London, Paris, Amsterdam, Milan the tourist way.”

“Do you think Hetty would let us have out if it wasn’t in a body bag?”

It’s a half joke, half not. Zayn’s genuinely worried that might be the case.

“I hope so,” Liam states, “oh and I forgot to say, she offered me a place at NCIS, full time.”

“You mean as a probie?”

“No,” Liam laughs, “As a Special Agent, but don’t worry Agent Malik, I know I’d be at the bottom of the pecking order, and I did ask why not as a probationary first, she said I proved that I can work with her most difficult agent, it’s enough for her.”

Zayn slaps his hip lightly. Not that Hetty isn’t right, because yes, he does know he is her most difficult agent, but fuck, hearing Liam saying it just hit home.

“Well her most difficult agent fell in love with you.” He smirks, leaning up to press a kiss on the underside of Liam’s jaw. He can see Liam’s blush reaching his ears as he looks down at him pecking his forehead slightly.

“How about we get some lunch?”

“I’d love that.” Zayn smiles as he pulls himself up, reaching out for Liam’s hand to pull him up too.

“Good, “Liam sighs contentedly as he reaches for Zayn’s palm, slipping now cold fingers between his. “Because I’m starving.”

*

“Scusatemi ragazzi!” It’s Mrs Angotti again; waiving them over to what he thinks is her house. They just went back to get into a fresh new pair of jeans and in Zayn's case a winter sweater to go over his shirt because they really didn't want to be stuck in wet clothes all day. They smile and cross the road over to her to see what she needs. He hopes she doesn’t mind the fact that he and Liam are holding hands.

“I just wanted to say excuse me for the scene my young child made yesterday.” It’s in broken English, quite obvious that what she’s learnt, she’s learnt through travellers like them. It warms his heart that people are so ready to accept holiday makers and treat them just like family.

“Non era un problema signora.” Liam replies in Italian. He liked the way Liam's voice changed when he did that, it goes deeper, louder - bottom line it makes his tummy flip, but it genuinely wasn’t a problem - the girl would have  _needed_ that kind of emotion at some point. She looks relieved that she was understood. “I would invite you in for dinner but my little girl – she’s in a terrible state over her grandmother yesterday that I’m afraid none of my house work has been done this morning.”

“We were going to lunch just now so it’s ok. Would you like us to take her with us? We’d love to take her off your hands for a little bit, it’s only down the road.”

“Oh yes, the Nannini’s make the best food in this village, hang on for a minute, let me call her. She loves to see her cousins whenever she can, and it would mean I can get some work done.” Signora leave them to get back into the house, calling for Fia. In loud and rapid Italian – it makes him chuckle because to him it sounds like birds chirping – loudly.

 “Wouldn’t you love to live in a place like this though; I mean we are going to lunch at her cousins.” He says turning back to Liam who squeezes at his hand tightly before he lets go to bring them up over his chest –he's still freezing.

“I’m more mystified at the fact that she’s so trusting.”

He laughs,“Well to be fair she does know what we do, seeing we told her on the application form for the house.”

“I hope you like kids.” Liam whispers as he points back to the door, “because look.” He turns around to see that Signora Angotti is holding a little boy too. He grins and walks up to her, opening his arms so that she places the toddler gently in his between them.

“This one is Antonio.” She says placing a dummy in his mouth to stop him from any planned whingeing he guesses. “I do hope you don’t mind.”

“No not at all Signora.” He says just as Antonio reaches over to grab his ear. He can see Fia leaping off the step and rushing towards Liam. She smiles sweetly at him, offering him her hand but Liam reaches down to pick her up too. He takes hold of Antonio’s elbow bringing the arm down and away from any of his ears and smiles back at the Signora.

“We’ll be back in a couple about 2 hours or so Signora.”

“Oh thank you, you’re the most kind.”

“It’s ok ma’am.” And with that they turn around to leave.

*

“When did you lot become parents exactly?” Liam chocks over his pasta, he’s laughing so hard he had to stop to drink for a minute.

It’s Niall via facetime. He loves the perks of their jobs, they all get international phones. It means everything is free of charge... well for them. It must cost the agency so much to accommodate all of them.

“Last night when we hooked up, I give birth on speed dial.” He jokes causing Liam to slap him lightly across his chest. Out of the corner of his eye he can see Fia meddling with the cutlery with another child he assumes is her cousin. He hands the phone to Liam to help her back to the table, to where she sits happily eating her pizza. She doesn’t talk much; he didn’t expect her too, not after what she had just gone through. Antonio on the other hand keeps eating out of his hand like he’s never been fed before.

He laughs when Niall calls Harry. He can make out that he’s half dressed and he’s got a huge love bite on his collarbone, but he’s hiding behind Niall, so there is no need to complain.

“Did Hetty fill you guys in on the Hastings case?”

“Yeah,” Niall blushes, “found us in an unfortunate position too.”

He laughs as he leans in to rest his head on Liam’s shoulder. “I don’t need details Niall –  ” he laughs, “ when are you guys getting down here?”

“In a couple of days – we booked already and things – but it’s just been nice to be back around the city. It’s been 5 years Zayn.”

“I know babe, and Niall don’t forget the mugs!” It’s childish and silly but it’s how he’s been feeling lately.

“You bloody bas – “

“Oi!” Liam cuts in before Niall had time to finish his sentence, “the child!” He says twisting the phone to remind Niall of Fia’s existence.

“It’s not as if she understands English.”

“Actually I do.” It surprises all of them, because neither she and nor mother had shown any indication that she knew English. She laughs at them and her whole face lights up as she grabs the phone from Liam so that her face is now on the screen. “And I’d really like you to go away now. I like Zayn and Liam, but you’re naughty.” Niall’s laughter booms through the phone, just as the waitress comes to their table to see if they want dessert. They waive her off but do instead order coffee and amaretto.

It’s when Liam freezes. His hand going up to his mouth to cover his shock, Zayn follows where his eyes are trained and his hand flies to find Liam’s.

“Niall, we’ve gotta go.” He says as he reaches for the phone and shutting it off, but handing it back to Fia to play with.

“Shouldn’t we contact Hetty?” he hushes out into Liam’s ear.

“We will, when we’re at home. I didn’t expect him to turn up here.” Liam replies just as he smiles at Commander Hastings walking their way. “We did say this is the best place to hide out.” He replied hurriedly before standing up to greet the commander.

“I thought I heard someone speaking English. What a lovely family you have here, may I take a seat?” Zayn wants to stab him, but he reshuffles himself to the left to make space for the commander to join them at the table.

“So what is this beautiful family doing in this part of Italy?” He asks in a sort of camaraderie which suggests he’s knows them for years, not merely minutes.

“I’m in textile design.” He lies smoothly; this after all is the nature of his job. “I don’t get much break from the factories we run so we take every opportunity we have to get away with the family.”

“I’m just his assistant,” Liam’s laughing out, settling their covers in good foundations as he slickly takes Antonio onto him to give him some juice, seeing the baby is fussing , “ No not really, I’m an accountant by trade, I do the books and stuff.”

“You have such beautiful children.” He says looking at Fia – almost wistfully – like he’s suddenly regretting his whole life choices. He knows he commander was single and non – married – it helped with his job – but it must be lonely too – at 40 at least. Fia doesn’t give him the time of day however suspecting she heard them discuss him before he arrived. She’s still thoroughly engrossed in her new toy. Their coffees arrive and Hastings orders whisky, it’s the middle of the day, Zayn didn’t get the need for hard liquor, but seeing he knows what stresses the Commander is under he’s not surprised.

“What do you do?” He already knows that he’s currently America’s biggest threat to national security, but he wants to know if the commander will lie.

“I’m in joinery. Carpentry, that kind of thing.”  The commander explains, before elaborating more about the nature of his holiday – business apparently. Zayn wants to laugh.

“That’s cool.” Liam says as he finishes up his coffee and standing up, excusing himself to go pay, placing Antonio back in his arms. Thank god he thinks – he’s done entertaining the bastard.

“Sorry, we can’t stay longer; he’s just been really fussy today.”

“It’s ok, let’s hook up and talk more over dinner tonight.”

“Sorry man, we don’t leave our kids alone at night in a foreign country.”

“Oh, ok then see you around.” He’s saying as Zayn’s standing up out of his seat, he doesn’t want to see him Hastings again, but he’ll probably have too, knowing Hetty. Fia is standing out of her seat and grabbing his free hand, not looking back at the commander once. Liam’s waiting outside waiting for them smiling as Fia runs to him.

They walk in silence for the most part. She’s more chatty now, less fogged up in her grief and actually asks for ice cream in the piazza which they can’t deny her. He gets one for Antonio, in a cup and he’s happily eating it out of the spoon Zayn keeps giving him.

“I didn’t expect that.” Liam says as they sit down on one of the benches leaning his head onto Zayn’s shoulders sighing – but it wasn’t exactly in a gloomy manner – more saying Liam was now at peace with himself.

“I didn’t expect him to turn up here, that’s for sure.”

“I think he’s got an agenda. He’s trying to hide out, maybe create a life here?”

“Or maybe he’s waiting for the stuff to be delivered here.”

“This is the perfect place for that. Away from where the Mafia has her strong hold, meaning if searched nothing will turn up. We are over 8 hours away from Scalea at best.”

“Yes but we stop it here, let Hastings know the American government has been on his arse since day one.”

“But how are we going to make him talk.”

“We invent stuff, it’s what we do babe.”

 “Correction,” Liam smiles, “It’s what you do, and you mean blackmail don’t you?”

“Yeah and a little international espionage.” He smiles tilting his head to drop a kiss on Liam's nose.

Liam laughs bringing his hand up to run through Zayn’s hair – in a languished manner, “I like the sound of that.”

“Excuse me, but why did that man think I was yours?” Fia says then, breaking their little bubble, she's climbing over Liam’s lap, reaching her hands around his neck and hanging out sideways laughing.

“Because you were with us, and that man is a very bad man so we have to help to make him go to prison.”

“It’s ok, he thinks I’m American, I like that.”

“We aren’t American, neither of us, we just live in America.”

“Hey what’s that’s supposed to mean?” Liam asks surprised.

He shrugs, “I was born in the UK, and it explains the accent I guess. I only moved to America because of Hetty and this job.”

“Why didn’t you share this before?”

“Was it relevant before?”

“No I guess not, but tell me more tonight will you?”

“We’ll see.” Is all he could answer for now anyway  but Liam seems mollified reaching up to gently press a kiss to his cheek – making sure Fia’s balance isn’t compromised. It’s this quiet hush that he likes between sometimes – sitting in silence just enjoying each other – Zayn had taken to count Liam’s breaths till he fell asleep and he realised Liam in turn liked to tap his fingers over the small of his back every night – it’s become a kind of ritual – one that Zayn now can’t fall asleep if Liam isn’t doing it – he loves it. The messy bed sheets in the morning, the meshed up duvet, the warm solid body in his bed every night. He loves that even if they started out with taking it slow – he still got the morning breath and the pillow creases on Liam’s cheeks in the morning. He liked to bop their noses together, nuzzling in closer – it was this sense of security that was building up between them – this need to be each other’s everything, wrapped up in little messages or looks – that constant under layer of _I love you_ with everything that’s happened to them since they met. 

He smiles because he realises he _does_ want a family life – something he’s lied about his entire life – but he only can say it now with confidence because he’s found the right person for him – he’s come to the realisation that not only does he want a family life – _he wants one with Liam_ and if it does happen – it would probably be the biggest gift Zayn gives to himself – because while he had his sisters who he loves like crazy – he’s always been the outsider, always the boy, always the _other._ Liam giving him all this time and attention was new – because while he can’t count the amounts of shags he’s actually had – Zayn’s never actually been in a relationship – a late bloomer as Hetty liked to call him. He saw it more as an incompetence to be loved – again, until Liam.

He places the now empty cup in the space next to him and his fingers go in search of Liam’s. He links them together just as Liam’s looking up at him almost awaiting an answer. He shrugs whispering a quiet _I need to touch you – reminds me you’re real._ Liam positively beams at him raising his hand to reach out and rub his cheek, Zayn immediately turn his face into the touch – because damn this is everything he’ll ever need in life.

“Kiss, will you?” Fia whispers as she attaches one of her hands around Antonio and onto his shoulder, moving so that she’s balanced now on their touching thighs. He chuckles as she grabs the back of both their necks and squeezes them together. Liam turns to him and smiles, before leaning in and indulging in a soft chaste kiss to his lips. She squeals as Zayn laughs into the kiss and he presses harder this time, taking Liam’s bottom lip between his own teeth to lick into his mouth with ease. He feels a kiss pressing lightly at the shell of his ear, causing him to laugh and let go. He smiles as he looks at Fia, who’s laughing like she’s just witnessed the greatest thing on the planet.

“My mum says that you can tell if two people love each other from the way they kiss.” She explains, “You two make me want to cry because I have always wished in my life to know what love looks like – not from the books I read – and you two have made it come to life for me.” It’s cheesy and childish – but the child is 6 after all, so he can’t really hold it against her. He smiles at her because she might look like one of the Von Trapp children in their play clothes – but he can tell she’s got intelligence beyond her years – and maturity that could question his. Liam leans in and hugs her; he could hear him whispering out thank you’s as he pulls back smiling.

“Tell me, how did your mum let us so easily take you out today?”

Fia smiles and rests her head in the crook of Liam’s arm, thinking a little before replying.  “Yesterday – when it was late – she came up to the house you’re staying at just to see if you’ve settled, all she wanted was to see if what happened when you arrived affected you in any way, but as she peeked through the window she found that you,” She points at Liam, “were asleep,” and you," now she continues pointing at him, “were going full steam ahead doing both workloads she imagined. The point is – she understood that both of you are committed on helping other people before you take care of yourselves. It is when she stopped being afraid of you – and started to understand that just because you came from America – it didn’t mean you were going to be rude or pretentious just because you expect better – like our last family.”

He’s a little bit amazed by everything this little girl just said – because for one he doesn't think he used such big words at that age – and secondly even though the trauma of last night – she still learn important lessons from her mother.

“Is this why you weren't afraid to come out with us?” He asks as she leaps off from Liam and onto his lap just as Liam takes Antonio and stands him up on the floor laughing as the baby starts jumping about giggling away happily.

“Uh huh.” She nods smiling her hands reaching around his waist to secure herself tightly around him. “and also because I think you two are cute together.” She chuckles happily – she fits on him so much spunk and zealously compacted in such a tiny body, it warms his heart.

“Hey you wanna go back to your mum?” Liam asks because the sun was now irritating Antonio  now to the point he looks exhausted – or about to cry.

 She nods, “Yes please, but can I go out with you tomorrow again?”

“We’ll ask your mamma ok?” He counters – because even if he wants to – he’s got to have her mum’s permission first.

“Va bene, Mr Malik.” Fia says reaching up to kiss his cheek again. “Grazie Mille.” She laughs as she takes his hand to drag him back home. They stand and walk through across the square again, their hands interlocking automatically after Liam settles Antonio on his arm to have better space to sleep on and letting Fia go to run home ahead of them.

“Is it bad that I can see us doing this?”

“You mean the whole kids thing?”

“Yeah, I mean look at this, not one single hitch, except Hastings.” His stomach fills with happiness because Liam too is able to see that they are capable of taking on such a thing.

“We’ll think about it ok?” because he can't think of anything else to say, not yet.

“I don’t have thinking to do but ok.” Liam laughs slowing down to lengthen the walk further dragging it out a further good 10 minutes. They walk in silence for the most part, it's a kind of quiet they _crave._

“Hey I don’t think I wanna take the full timer.” Liam says stopping – he can tell that’s Liam’s given a lot of thought to this – because over the months Zayn knew he wanted to become an agent if he was invited.

“What’s changed?” He asks leaning his own head on Liam’s shoulder, allowing Liam to slip his hand into the back pocket of his jeans as his own wraps around his waist, his fingers touching Antonio’s knee lightly.  

“You.” Liam laughs, “and also the fact that we can support ourselves for years with what we do have saved already.” He laughs, “You mean forever babe, we got close to $3 million dollars _each_ Liam for wrapping up that job in South Korea last month if you know what I’m saying.” He sighs into Liam’s chest, “– we rationally don’t need to do this anymore – it’s just what can we do that isn’t this?” It's a legitimate question because he knows that he's only good at this. Carrying out sanctioned killings for his government under the radar is all Zayn knew.

“I don’t know Zayn, art school maybe for you, something to do with languages for me. I don’t know – but I’ve been thinking about getting out more lately and I know you like the trill of this, the chase - the hunt, but I can't contemplate watching you out in the field anymore. It's just a constant - _he might die today cause he can't be a third time lucky._ ”

“We’ll think about it ok?” He concedes quietly - he gets it because it's the same for him - especially now that he can openly think about it. He presses a gentle kiss to Liam's nose before turning into the Angotti’s alley way. He can see Fia sitting on her doorstep but turns to run in the minute she sees them, he can hear Signora Angotti laughing _Piccola indiero cosi presto?_ Back so soon, little one?  Before coming to the door to greet them.

“Oh ragazzi, vi ringrazo tanti.” _Thank you so much_.

“It’s ok Signora; can I put him in his bed?” Liam whispers over Antonio’s head as he lets go of Zayn. The Signora nods and opens the door further for him directing Liam upstairs to the left, before turning back to him.

“Fia wanted ice cream if that’s all right.” He informs her moving up closer to the door now that Liam’s gone inside.

“Oh that’s quite alright.”

“Hey listen –”He tells her about Commander Hastings and what transpired – he doesn’t go into details exactly but it’s enough for her to get the full picture. She reassures him she had no bother in them taking the children out again, she also tells him that she’ll be deducting whatever expenses they use to on the kids out of the final payment, to which Zayn tells her to not do such a thing. He also mentions that the rest of their team will be arriving shortly and will be using the house as their safe house. He likes Signora Angotti because she’s very open to their needs. In other places, in other countries, he didn’t find that.

Liam comes back down after that and joins him outside, immediately taking his hand as he stands next to him.

“How long have you boys been together?” Zayn’s ready to say a day, but Liam answers for them. “A year in a few weeks Signora.”  Taking him by surprise, the good kind – he’s surprised but happy about the way Liam casually let that escape so easily.

“Ah belle ragazzi, you make such a beautiful couple.”

“Thank you Signora, we’ll speak with you tomorrow.”

“Ciao!” She says waving them off before she closes the door.

*

“Open this god damn fucking door, I swear to god if you're shagging I’m leaving.” It’s Louis, banging at their front door like there was a war on outside. So loud it woke Zayn out of bed and Liam, bless him, found his face acquainted with the floor – because he fell off the bed in shock. It made Zayn chuckle slightly before helping him up and kissing his pouted lip before leaving to stop Louis from breaking the door down.

“How did you find us?” He says as he lets Louis in, shutting and locking the door seeing they weren't expecting anyone else to arrive tonight it was already 11 at night now anyway.

“It’s what I do you idiot, were you asleep?”

“Yeah, I hadn't slept since I got here, passed out right after lunch, how did you get here so fast?”

“Took a plane?”

“Ha ha very funny.” He says embracing Louis, it was quick and light but he always seemed to need one after time away from him.

“Tea?” Liam asks from the kitchen his fall already forgotten – a smile now sits in place of the frown he had on a few moments ago. Zayn starts his way up the stairs to place Louis’ things in one of the other rooms.”

“Please.” Louis answers just as he moves Zayn’s laptop to take out his, immediately reaching for the wi-fi password to get started on his work, if Louis wasn’t anything, he was a hard – working bastard, Zayn could give him that.

“Listen,” He states just as he’s walking back down. “I’mma need you to create identities for us. Hastings kinda invited himself to coffee today.”

“Wait, Commander Hastings?”

“Yes genius, oh and we’re married and have two kids pretty please, go back at least 10 years, he’s probably going to check.”

“Kids? Married? Did I miss something here?”

Liam comes out with Louis’ tea and sits at the end of the sofa next to Zayn, before pulling him on top of him. “Yeah babysat the kids that own this place, I’m an accountant, Zayn’s in textiles.”

Louis sits back and chuckles for a minute, “I told you Malik, you worm your way in bloody fast.”

“Took me most of the year with this one.” He says almost proudly as he drops a kiss on Liam’s forehead.

“Dear God, please don’t do that. We have the Horan’s isn’t that enough?”

“Sorry dude.” Liam laughs, but he really isn’t. “Let’s leave you in peace, I’m still so tired.”

“Go,” Louis smiles, “And Payne _, put some bloody pants on_!”

*

“Signora Angotti, buongiorno!” Liam smiles as he opens the door for the woman early the next morning. Zayn quietly says his final prayers before folding up his prayer mat, and stands up to greet her.

“Sei Musulmano?”

“Si Signora, I didn’t mean to offend you if I did.”

“No mio caro ragazzo,” _No my dear boy, “_ It was rude of me to come at this hour, and anyway I should have realised looking at you.” She smiles shyly grabbing onto his shoulder before she walks over to Louis to wake him up, sitting down on the other side of the sofa.

“Mi scusi, signori. I just have very unpleasant news to share.” She says as Louis starts to rub the sleep out of his eyes. He takes a seat on the floor beneath her feet.

“As you know, my little Fia witnessed the death of her grandmother a few days ago now. You see, it was a bullet to the side of the head, execution style. A man she compared to her Zio,” _uncle_ , “just walked into my house, and he was gone in less than 10 minutes. Now I had to ask myself why anybody would want mia mamma dead. So I went through all her papers over the last few days, again another reason why my housework wasn’t being done, and I found out she’s a sleeper agent? Is that the proper word?”

Zayn’s floored. This was a quiet town, he didn’t expect mercenaries to even know of Rocchetta Nervina let alone know of the existence of sleep agents within its walls – however it explained why Hastings was searching for sleeper agents – they wanted to take them out. He nods just as Liam walks across the space for coffee.

Louis gets to work immediately; searching through hacked CIA classified records was his forte. He in the meantime gets to work extracting every bit of detail Signora Angotti knew about her mother. Liam offers her a mug which she gladly accepts and sits down on the floor next to Zayn, handing him his own mug.

“Now Signora, has there been any other suspicious deaths in the area lately?”

“One, an old village elder, he lived alone had no family like my mother; he was in good shape because I used to watch him run every morning. One day, about 5 weeks ago, we just found him in his living room, with a gun strapped to his hand, making most of the village accept it was a suicide. Expect my mother. She never believed it for a second.”

“What is the name of this man?”

"Guseppe, Guseppe Saverino.”

“You get that Louis?”

“Loud and clear.” He answers not looking up as he types fast converting Signora’s words into numbers.

“Now my dear, what do you mean exactly by the word sleeper agent?” Liam asks as he takes out their tablet to record the conversation.

“I read that she was sent back from America, with a new name, and a new husband and settled in a new unchartered area of Italy. She spoke fluent Italian and English; it is how my daughter is able to communicate far much better than me in English.”

“You and sorry if I come off as insensitive, you aren’t blood related?”

“No, I was adopted as a young woman and raised well by her. This information I’ve always known. She’s the person that left me my houses, without them I’d have nothing – Family to us is important – it doesn’t matter if we are blood related or not.”

“Explains why he didn’t touch the children.” Liam says to him, to which he nods at not taking his eyes of the Signora but reaching out to squeeze Liam’s hand instead.

“I’m going have to take a look at those records ma’am and I think it would be safer for the children to come live up here for the time being, we’ll protect them for you at all costs.”

“Oh thank you miei cari, I have a funeral to arrange after all.” She says standing up.

“Signora Angotti, wait for Zayn," Liam instructs, “He’ll go with you.”

“Grazie, if I’m honest I’m afraid to walk these streets alone, and this is my town, my home, my absolute everything.”

 “You call Hetty yea?” He says as he stands to go get dressed in something that doesn't resemble a green lantern pyjama.

“I’ll be back in a bit babe.” He says just as he’s ready to leave, but not before pressing a kiss to Liam’s lips, because that just had to be done.

“Come on Signora, we’ll take care of this.” He continues as he readily holds out his hand for her to take back down the hill and into the village.

*

“My question is, why are they exterminating Cold War sleepers? It’s not as if Italy was that much of an enemy.” He hears Liam say as they walk back into the house carrying Antonio and Fia, still half asleep in the early morning and a stack of documents by Mrs. Angotti.

“Because,” Zayn replies dropping his files on the table, “The Italians are behind it.”

“Wait, you mean Lo Piccolo, from Sicilia?”

“Si, Signora.”

“I don’t get what he’s doing in my beautiful Liguria. He’s south scum; we don’t deal with his type up here.”

“I know that Signora, but it’s far more complicated than that.”Liam explains.

“Capisco” _I understand,_ she sighs standing up to close the windows, a rainstorm was approaching fast judging from the heaving black sky that was building it would be on them in a couple of hours. 

“Did you call Hetty?” He asks sitting down next to Louis, Antonio happily sucking the bottle Zayn’s giving him.

“You know this suits you.” Louis says smiling, his index fingers pointing over Zayn.

“Stop it.” He says reddening. “Did you?”

“Yes.” Liam replies instead. “We are to cover Hastings. Last word on the weaponry is that they are in Geneva, Switzerland this morning, but they might be in here tonight or tomorrow, they'll get them though to France, they’re trying to give out false readings it seems for anyone physically tracking them, however from the data Reine sent over, she estimates there is a possibility this might be wrapped up soon."

“Seeing Hastings is up here, I’d say that, yes this is the proposed hiding spot chosen to store such arterially; however it doesn’t explain why a sleeper agent was killed off in her sleep 2 nights ago.”

“Excuse me?”

“Yes Fia.” He calls after the little girl.

“The man called mia nonna a traditore _” a traitor_ , “just before he left.”

“Guys,” Louis says, “We need to entertain the idea that she was Mafia before she left for America. I found out through her very well documented files that the name before Antonia Angotti came into play she was a certain Gianna Barbuto and her American issued name, Maria Maryweather.”

“The Barbuto’s hold Mafia strongholds in Bari and Catanzaro all the way down to Reggio Calabria, down that way. Just because I don’t like the Mafia, it doesn’t mean that I don’t know what they do, how they operate and who’s got positions of power where.” Signora Angotti shares.

“Wait you’re saying that this family basically hold the boot of Italy in their hands?” Louis asks astonished after a quick google map search.

“Yes, they deal with Lo Piccolo more on a daily basis than any of the other strongholds do.”

“What has all this got to do with Antonia?”

“I don’t know, but the more I learn about this woman the more of a headache I’m getting but with that surname - she's obviously closely linked to them.” Louis relents closing his laptop.

“We need to refocus on Hastings and get him back on American soil. I don’t want him running around like a mad man doing favours for Mafia bosses.”

“Well we do know it isn’t Hastings that killed Antonia; if it were him Fia would have had a reaction to him.” Liam collaborates.

“That’s true, but he’s still up here most likely awaiting shipment through France, by tomorrow night , meaning we have to stop it from contact being made.

“You’re not going.” It’s a simple enough thing to say. If they were going to be there for the contact it wasn’t going to be Liam. “Hey, that’s not fair!” Liam tries, but he knows Zayn’s made up his mind already, so instead he stands to take Antonio off him and walks out  of the back door for some fresh air. Staying pleasantly in Zayn’s eye sight, making him smile at how much Liam knows him.

“Lovers’ quarrel?” the Signora asks , a small smile spreading lightly around her lips as she stands up to move closer to him sitting on the arm of the sofa and placing a hand over his shoulder – in an almost protective manner.

“Not really, I just don’t want him being hurt that’s all.”

“You know, when I was your age, I was already married, just childless. My husband at the time was at Balangero Mine, up near Turin. I always didn’t know if he’d ever come home after his 3 month at a time tours.  I never knew if I’d be able to tell him _ti amo_ , just one last time, but you know what kept me going? The intense love we shared, the love that grew with us over the years since we were children, and every time he came home, we saw it as a celebration, as another stepping stone that secured our futures. This was in the 80s, the time for change for the world at large, but up here – we were left alone in peace to live our lives the way we wanted. When he passed away, so young at his age – he left me half a heart, half a soul, I was almost half a _persona_ for years – God granted me Fia and Antonio over these last few years and only now am I beginning to understand love between a mother and a child. Those children lost their mother to drink and drugs down the mountain. Fia has been in my custody since the day she was born, and Antonio arrived on my doorstep a few days after they buried their mother in an unmarked grave somewhere in Roma. If I were you, I’d go say _mi dispiace_ , because that man loves you so much, it’s so hard to not realise it with the way he looks at you and you for him for that matter. He wants to please you, but you know he’s capable of achieving what you need to; don’t let petty things cloud your larger judgement on things – in the long run it’s not worth it.”

 He’s left stunned because he didn’t expect articulation out of a woman that was still so practically a stranger. She grins at him and pushes him towards the door, where he still can see Liam through the crack as Antonio sucks on his finger. Fia watches him go, smiling at him too having heard what Signora had just said to him. He slides the partition open and Liam looks up at him, smiling sadly like he was genuinely hurt that Zayn didn’t trust him with something so very important.  Zayn takes his Liam’s fingers as he sits down next to him, his own digits reaching out to play with Liam’s ring finger.

“I’m sorry.” He starts. “I just can’t get over the idea of you getting hurt sometime. My need is to protect you at all costs. I don’t want to take back a body bag to LA.”

Liam places Antonio in between them, and turns ever so slightly so that the boy is safely tucked between Liam’s tights – it also means Liam’s looking at him now.

“And you think I don’t have the same fears Zayn? Don’t you think I worry every time we have to go out and shoot dead a bunch of idiots that should have never been given guns in first place?” Liam brings his hands out to cup his chin, his hands spreading over Zayn’s cheeks, forcing Zayn to look up at him. He could see Liam’s eyes shining black with worry and fear, but it gives Zayn the answer that they can do this together, if they worked together that is. “I worry just as much as you; I really do hope we get out soon.”

“I want this to be our last one. I just am realising this now because I’m starting to realise what I can lose if I don’t.”

“This will be our last one.” Liam agrees nodding, “But right now we need to trust in our skills and training that alone will bring us through ok?” He sighs and leans in to kiss Liam, its soft and fluid, almost hushed but it feels _right_ , everything finally feels like it’s falling into place for him and he’s never had this kind of stability in his life before now and as Signora Angotti said, he intends to cherish it. He never came to Italy with the idea of never going back to the place he knows every again - but the more he thinks about it, the more the idea of leaving LA appeals to him.

“Come.” Liam says reaching out to lift up Antonio close to an hour of just sitting there enjoying the view and enjoying each other’s quiet company. Antonio bless him is still sitting placidly between them. “The sooner we wrap this up the sooner we can go home.” Liam says as they get up.

“Liam you know as much as I do home is where you are.”

“I know, but we still have actual houses in LA, and we need to liquidate everything still, remember we can’t just fall off the face of the planet.”

“We can try.” He chuckles as they make their way back into the living room realising that it’s now closer to 1 in the afternoon meaning they need to check in to see where the weapons have arrived. It feels like he’s finally breathing, because falling in love is like acid spreading through your veins, not giving you a chance to sit down and decipher the meaning of it all, but he’s certain about one thing.

Liam will always be there.

“Hey!” Louis shouts when he sees them, “Look who’s arrived!”

He looks over to see Niall and Harry standing by the door, with Fia in Harry’s arms. She fits so snugly in Harry’s lanky body, like he was made to always hold kids like sloths in his arms.

“Malik!” Niall practically squeals running over to him pressing a kiss to his cheek before turning his attention to Antonio, playing with his black curls pulling faces to make him laugh as he takes him from Liam, and watching as the boy’s light green eyes shine at his new playmate his grubby fingers reaching to hold on to Niall’s shirt.

“Hi,” Harry’s introducing himself to Signora Angotti, always always the charmer even if he’s barely been married a week. They sit around just catching up for almost another hour – it might had been a short amount of time that they were apart – but seeing the long hours they worked – they’re close.

“Listen, you idiots, we have a case to solve, a honeymoon to celebrate and a new relationship to properly be introduced to.” Niall’s saying as he rocking Antonio slowly lulling him to sleep for the afternoon. “I gave up Oslo for this shit; please let’s get it over with.”

“Right, here is what we know,” Louis takes his seat at the sofa, hooking up his little the projector box to his laptop and suddenly his windows is displayed on the white wall opposite. He makes his way to one of the still empty sofas and sits down.

“Meet Antonia Angotti – No relation to this lot.” He says pointing at the Signora who bows her head in agreement. “ Fia – ” he says now pointing to the girl still being held by Harry, “ was a witness at the murder of Antonia –  this occurred all a few minutes after Zayn and Liam arrived in Rocchetta Nervina. She was one of two American Sleeper agents posted here in 1965. The other is Guseppe Saverino,” Louis continues as he pulls up a found archive picture of the old man. “He was found with a bullet to the side of his head, barely 2 months ago. Which brings me to Commander Hastings, who has found his very sorry American ass in this village posing as a Carpenter and making friends with Zayn and Liam like he’s got no care in the world, listen –” he says pulling up satellite imagery now with the moving GPS signals on the weaponry, “they just have entered Italy, over the border from France less than 4 hours from here a night early – I personally think Lo Piccolo is getting cold feet. This is the only time we have to plan and stop them here and bring both the Commander and the shipment safely in our custody. Niall I’m gonna need you undercover, because he’s already met Liam and Zayn so we can’t have that to be able to get in and out of the Commander’s villa to see if he’s got maps of where he might have been instructed to take them see if he’s got an Italian counterpart because if he does he’s probably Mrs Angotti’s killer and in essence Mr Saverino’s. I’ll start running papers on how you are this town’s newly installed electrician. I do hope your Italian isn’t rusty if you need it. Harry I’m gonna need you with him as always I’m running down plates that belong to this town and those of cars who don’t so that we can narrow down if he’s got a van or a car, the usual.” He turns to Zayn and Liam after his done and smiles at them.

“I’m gonna need you to babysit.” Louis says smiling widely at them, if it wasn’t for the children in the room, Louis would be getting kissed just about now. They all part to attend to their tasks meaning Niall and Harry wonder up upstairs to get their things together and Louis takes his time to saunter over to them dropping down on Zayn’s lap smiling widely.

“Next time, trust me to deal with it. I love both of them, honestly I do, but I can’t have either of you being shot or killed, especially since your last time, not today and not in Italy, you’re all on this team, but I can have favourites you listening?” He nods and leans into Louis hugging him tightly, his silent thank you, before reaching out for Liam who was still standing a bit away so that he can fall to the side of them too stretching his neck to drop a peck to Liam’s cheek.

“We’ll get out of this yes?”

“I really bloody do well hope so.”

*

“Zayn, fuck Zayn I swear, I need you lot to connect comms. for me. I’ve have the button cam on are you seeing this?”

Louis moves in place and suddenly they can see the dark empty farmhouse they found thanks to Signora Angotti tracked Hastings down for them through her neighbours.

“There are 10 sleepers in this area. They took 6 down already – there is the word _traditore_ all over this wall, and ah a map, it looks like it is just 4km south of the village, there is some mountain terrain?”

“Yes Mr.Horan. There are caves that exist on the outskirts of Rocchetta Nervina; we are in on the foothills of the Alps after all.”

“Yes hey listen to me. Harry and I will head out there. Will you please ride back up? In case something does actually go wrong. It’s nice and good that y’all figured out your shit man, but this is my honeymoon, I don’t want either of us to die thank you very much.”  
  
“We’ll come out Niall it’s ok.”

“Thank you.” He says before he goes cold.

*

“Ah, shit its cold.”  Liam’s complaining as he drives out to the place Niall and Harry are now positioned.

“At least it’s already May babe.”

“True, still it’s cold.”

“If this goes off without a hitch I’ll drive the car myself to the lake even if it’s 3 am and I’ll give you the best blowjob you’ve ever received.” He teases as he reaches out to run his hand through Liam’s hair.

“You know, I’m gonna hold you to that.” Liam chuckles as he reaches out to put a hand on Zayn’s upper thigh.

“Oh looks like Niall and Harry aren’t alone.” He says as he sees Harry surveying a white pickup truck.

“Hi, again.” He says as they roll up to them and stop the car, opening the door.

“Looks like he’s already received them.”

“Let’s not split up on this one –" he says getting out of the car and wrapping his jacket tightly around himself. However before they can make a plan, Commander Hastings and Lo Piccolo himself come out from one of the openings – Lo piccolo is surrounded by 4 other men. They run when they see their group pooled around their getaway. So Zayn takes charge, pulling out his gun and does what he knows best – He runs.

He hits Commander Hastings in his ankle. It was on purpose. No where enough to kill him but bad enough to bring him down. He can hear Niall and Harry scream _Federal Agents_ then Agenti Federali for Lo Piccolo’s and his men’s sake, so he doesn’t need to say anything. Instead just jogs over to Hastings, sitting him up not even bothering to zip tie him. It’s not as if he can go anywhere.

“Funny seeing you here isn’t it.”

“The textile designer.” Hastings scoffs.

“The carpenter.” He retorts back almost laughing, taking off his shoes to see what damage he did to the man. It’s a clean sweep. The bullet when straight through, they’ll be able to patch him up themselves in no time.

“What do you do really?”

“Federal Agent. Special Agent Malik, actually.”

“You look too young for that.” Zayn laughs it’s not the first time he’s heard that. Liam comes over to help Zayn carry Hastings back to their rental.

“So you a special agent too?” He directs to Liam.

“No, LAPD, and I’m going have so much fun interrogating you.” Liam smiles sweetly as he pushes Hastings into the car leaning over to whisper a _good job babe_ before kissing him lightly on his lips and slamming the door shut as he goes round the car to drive home.

*

“How many causalities?” Louis asks as he and Liam arrive back at the Villa.

“We have 3 dead, 2 wounded, Lo Piccolo’s fine.”

“Hetty might have your head.”

“Hetty will deal with it seeing Niall and Harry just loaded up the weaponry back in their rented pick up.”

Louis squeals, “So it’s done?”

“No it’s not done. There is still the issue of who is killing the sleepers if it isn’t Hastings or Lo Piccolo, we’ll know in a minute though. Right now fix him up; I’m going to get cleaned up.” He says as he drops Hastings onto the sofa leaving him with Liam and Louis as he goes to wash off the blood from his hands.

When he comes in backs Liam has him tied to one of the kitchen chairs his leg in Louis’ lap as he bandages it carefully.

“You know, you made it easy for us.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“We are officially on a break, our other two team members just got married, this was our time off.”

“But,” Liam continues, “You came to hide your shit in the same place we were on holiday.”

“That means it sucks for you.” He laughs as he arranged the table in front of Hastings once Louis’ moved out of the way.

“Call Hetty, tell her this mission was a success pretty please.”

“You mean, Henrietta Lange?”

“Yes dumb arse.”

“Urban legend, woman in our academy books Henrietta Lange.”

“Yes, and she’s not that scary once you get to know her a little.” He laughs before sitting on the bench opposite the Commander. “Now listen because my friends and I would like to get back to our time off. What do you know about the sleepers? And don’t play dumb you’re already looking at a life sentence at a Military Prison.”

Hastings shrugs, almost like he’s giving in, like he’s had enough of the game he’s been playing for the last year for sure.

“Not much. The Italians wanted to know what sleeper agents existed in the area that had ties to the Americans.”

“Why did you just say the Americans?”

“Because.” He smirks, the commander’s smile turning evil, “ _Allahuakbar.”_ And if it wasn’t for the professional inside him – Zayn would have put a bullet through his heart right there. He stands back letting Liam take command of the interview. He can’t look at the Commander – not after that. Instead he reaches over for Fia; who’s crept down the stairs to see what was all the sudden commotion about.

“That’s it – slither away from your own kind – you vermin that go round preaching peace – when what I do is the real interpretation of Islam. America has always welcomed you lot willing to assimilate to its national character what I do now rejects that and we are bent  on the conquest out of own national character – puny little bastard .”  He spits - it’s a kick to the gut – it hurts when someone like the commander – so intelligent and bright, trusted with the country’s biggest secrets – it’s harder to let go of, because when Jihadists get to these people – in America’s very core – it’s worrying if not downright sad – but it makes sense the Commander spent hundreds of hours in the Middle East, he should have realised there was a chance he was radicalised.

“Listen here you idiot – I don’t have time to listen to you preach about the right and wrong ways to practise Islam – my issue is why are you targeting old people now as it is.” Liam shrieks angrily – his hands banging on the table. It makes Fia hide in between his arms – he just squeezes her tightly – just as long she doesn’t cry he thinks – it’s different – he’s never seen Liam this mad before.

“I’m not!” The commander is saying now. “I don’t have anything to do with Sleeper Agents. That’s Salvatore’s doing.”

“Oh so you’re on first name basis now?”

“We communicated a lot what can I say.” The commander shrugs.

 “And what did you get in return?”

“A new life here in Rocchetta Nervina, no questions asked because the people here are so welcoming.” It explains the heavy insistence on the papers he wanted when they were watching him in OSP. The papers that meant he was allowed to build a new life from scratch. 

“Who is killing the sleepers exactly?”

“He has his foot soldiers killing the dirty work.”

“The Barbuto’s?

“Yeah, something like that, I can’t say it like you do – they are traitors – left the Mafia ranks to go to America only to come back and spy on their own kind’s movements – for me executing them only seemed reasonable.”

“Gentlemen,” Hetty interrupts. It’s just gone 9am on a Sunday morning; please tell me you have good reason as to why your call is this – “

“I see,” She stops, “Commander Hastings, I see my agent has done his job well, who gave you the bullet?” He points to Zayn, Hetty chuckles, “That’s my Senior field agent.”

“Senior? dear God, you can’t be older than 25, how does someone do that and by the way – consider fatherhood it looks good on you.” He rolls his eyes he’s still not forgotten the commanders attitude towards him a few short minutes ago but – at this point he can’t take anything the commander says seriously anyway.

“Focus, Commander, we aren’t usually so accommodating.”

“Yes, I’d like to go back home now. While I do like Italy I don’t quite fancy dying here.”

“Oh love, you aren’t going to die,” Louis chuckles from behind Zayn, “Zayn barely scraped your foot. If it were up to him, you’d be dead.”

“You were saying one of Lo Piccolo’s foot soldiers is behind these murders?” Liam continues bringing the commander back in focus.

“Some of them yes.”

Liam sighs, “We can’t do anything then, this war isn’t ours, I’m quite sad about Fia though.”

“Zayn?”

“Yes Signora.” He says turning to her when he felt her hand on his shoulder.

“Grazie Mille, for finding out the truth, it’s not going to make much of a difference but at least we got closure.”

“Signora, it wasn’t me, it was Liam.” He says as he watches Liam zip tie his hands together and standing the commander up. “We are staying with you for the remainder, let if that’s ok with you.”

“You mean I get to go out with you again tomorrow?” Fia says looking up at him, her eyes un clouding – looking relieved that the Commander is being escorted out. He smiles at her, tickling her stomach laughing when she squirms beneath him.

He turns back to Hetty because up to that point she was just there watching silently.

“Liam and I need to discuss an important matter with you when we come back – if we come back. In the mean time I’ve asked Louis to liquidate all of my known identities and just leave Zayn. “

“Are you thinking of moving on from the agency Mr Malik.”

“Maybe, but we’ll elaborate after we’ve spoken to my team.”

“I have a feeling I’m going to lose all of you.”

“We’ll see.” and with that he disconnected the call.

*

Zayn sits down, handing a glass of wine to Liam as he cuddles closer, throwing a blanket over them, as they wait for the others on the opposite sofas to settle. He’s put Fia and Antonio to bed. Signora Angotti decided it was the best, at least for tonight as she was willing to deal with the local _carabinieri_ for them. The military police that agreed to take the Commander off their hands and escort him back to the US. While Lo Piccolo was in the wrong, they had no jurisdiction on him; all they could do is fill them in on what has been happening – he’s Mafia – everyone is scared shitless of them all across Italy – even the authorities.

 The Commander himself is facing life in prison because what he did, is A) high treason and B) he broke several international laws that he’s very lucky he’s not being tried in Europe.

He lays his head down on Liam’s chest and turn to watch the film Niall had put on. They let it play out – some Romantic Comedy Niall had picked and tries to let it all sink in, but Louis is persistent on his chatting once the credits are rolling.

“You know it’s going to be weird working alongside 2 couples now.” He says as he takes a sip out of his own glass of rosé, because white is apparently for _the help._ Louis was a little bit like that, brought up in a very well off family; he had to get used to working with 2 orphans and other from a broken home. If it were 8 years ago, he wouldn’t have found this house acceptable, he’d’ need something bigger, better, but as time strolled by, and having to witness the worst life could throw at you, he had toned down his rich boy antics.

Liam squeezes him, and reaching around his shoulder so that Zayn could grab his arm and play with his fingers again. He could see this was becoming a habit, but one he likes for once.

“We want out.” He says slowly, leaning forward to put his glass on the coffee table. “I’ve started to learn I don’t want to have to take the risk every time we go out that one of us can get shot and killed.”

“So you’re just leaving?” Niall sits up from where he was wrapped up in Harry a little shocked.

“I just can’t deal with losing him. When I met him he was just recovering from a bullet hole through to his ribcage. It was 3 inches away from his heart. I can’t deal with that possibility daily I don’t exactly believe in love at first sight, but I do believe in a click – and with Zayn there has always been that pull of he needs me and I need him – if we keep doing this – one day we won’t be so lucky.” Liam whispers as his hold on Zayn tightens – Zayn in turn inclines his head up wards to kiss Liam’s jaw line leaving tiny kisses all the way up his ear before whispering _for me babe, it was love at first sight._ Liam shivers and pulls back smiling – like Zayn’s just gave him the world.

“Well,” Niall confesses breaking their bubble to tilt their heads simultaneously causing Louis to bark out an awfully loud, _fuck you and your mirroring seriously man_..  He shakes his head before turning his attention to Niall, who in turn sits up from Harry’s grasp to talk.

 “We were thinking about starting a family – start the adoption process maybe, but we were going to start planning in a few months, but I’ll happily go now if we all go.” They stop to look at Louis, who nods slowly before speaking.

“It’s funny. I knew it might come one day –” He sniffs out, “but NCIS is my life. I don’t have anyone to fall back onto. If I leave, I’ll have nothing left, nothing left to cherish. I’d prefer if you all left, putting yourselves out of danger, after all, I’m usually safely locked up in OSP, more often than not.”

“Will you at least come visit us?”He asks shyly, he is going to miss Louis no doubt, but he knows he deserves to get what he wants once in a while.

“Where exactly?”

“We don’t know yet.” He admits smiling. “Could be Bradford.”

“Zayn you’ve not been there since you were 16 years old.”

“So, I think it’s time to be finally getting back to where I come from.”

“No more big shot LA.”

“No man, been there done that, it’s time to move on.”

“S’good too, did Hetty tell you we get a house each anywhere in the world because we wrapped up this case.” Niall says.

He laughs.

“No shit – that’s the biggest pay out I’ve ever gotten, and I’ve been with her 9 years.”

“Hey,” Louis speaks as he moves near him lifting his arm so that he was lying on Zayn’s lap.

“Have fun with this ok? I’ll always know you best and I know you’d try to make this all about Liam. It’s about both of you.” He tilts his head backwards to look at Liam, “take care of him will you?” Liam nods and Louis grabs his face to press a kiss to his forehead. He stands up after that, excusing himself to head to bed.

Liam and Zayn follow right after. He’s exhausted because they’ve literally not had a break since they arrived, but now he plans to not move out of bed, till at least Thursday.

They stay quiet while they change and brush their teeth, enjoying the silence, the fact that for once there is no need to talk, to discuss strategies and plans. Zayn fixes a place for his gun holster just underneath his side of the bed, and decides to show Liam the box he always carries around with him, to remind him that he’s never really been alone in the world, even if he was the lone wolf in his pack – well before Liam.

“What’s this?”

“Something I’ve been meaning to say for a while now.” He opens the lid and drops its contents between them on the bed. They both have their legs crossed in front of them as Zayn starts to explain his story. He’s never done that before, Louis and the rest only know little pieces from his past, jumbled out through half drunk confessions or the nights he used to spend at Louis’ in the beginning so early on in his career.

“Your sisters?” Liam asks as he reaches for a picture that was taken when he was around 9. It’s him and all 3 of his sisters, the youngest Safaa barely a few months old.

“You said you don’t know your mum?”

“No,” He shakes his head, his hand moving to the back of his neck, he’s almost chickened out now, he draws breath and, “She was with MI5, always out of the country, always on missions. She didn’t make us travel with her the way you did. We just lived in the house next to a local mosque in Bradford, usually reserved for the Imam. The one at the time, I think he’s still there; he was gracious enough to let us live with him and his helpers, bringing us up as his own. She came back to deposit more children – in the form of my sisters – but I only saw her those two times - never my dad, she never came to where we stayed to speak with us. I met Hetty when I was 10. She was the one to tell us that both my parents were killed on post in Munich trying to dissolve some German treat - another reason I wanna get out - I don't want to became another infamous academy book case like my parents and the reasons why you don't fall in love with another agent.”

Liam frowns slightly before moving closer to him moving his hand to sit on the back of Zayn's neck - in a soothing manner,“Hetty - she guided you to join NCIS?”

“It took a while but she finally persuaded me of a better life, a more fulfilling life. I didn’t think I’d miss the girls so much though. They send card and stuff,” He says holding out his latest birthday card he received only last January, “but I’d love to go back soon. I know Doniya,” He says pointing to the oldest girl in the picture, “She’s married now and has 2 kids of her own.” This one,” he points to Waliyha, “She’s engaged, and little Safaa, she’s doing biomedical engineering in uni, but it’s not the same.”

“We’ll go soon, I promise ok?” He nods and picks out his grandfather’s wristwatch from the pile. It’s an old, vintage type silver plated Rolex, and hands it slowly to Liam. He didn’t wear it much, but sometimes when he’s feeling sorry for himself, he likes to take it out and listen to its stable pulse, lulling him to sleep.

 “I want you to have it, I’ve been thinking about it since we first kissed – properly kissed, but then you told Signora we’ve been together a year, and I wanted to take it out and give it to you just then, but I wanted to explain my history first, my life.”

Liam’s eyes fill with something he refuses to identify as tears, but he slips on the watch and allows Zayn to snap it into place. It was big for him, his skinny wrist meant that he could twist it around in circles, but on Liam it sat like it was meant for him, meant for it to grace Liam’s wrist one day. He also takes out a silver bracelet, which matches the watch in some ways; it was the last thing his Imam gave him before he left for America. He holds out his palm so that Liam slips his fingers onto his and Zayn hooks it around Liam’s wrist too, pairing up with the watch perfectly.

“It’s my Imam’s and it would mean a lot to me if you wore it with the watch.”

“I’d love to,” Liam smiles leaning over the things to kiss him hard on his lips. He pulls back to slowly put back his stuff in the box when he knows his things are secure, places it on the bedside table and moves closer to Liam again.

“I want you to make love to me and I want it to mean more than just an empty shag.” He whispers meekly just as Liam smiles at him.

“I don’t think with you, it was every going to be just an empty shag Zayn.” Liam smiles as he moves away to lock the door and take out the stuff they'll need from his luggage.

He laughs, “You carry around lube and condoms with you?”

“No, not usually,” Liam answers as he bends down over the bag, “but I knew I wanted to take things further so I came prepared.”

“Of course, I forgot you were a scout.”

“Sometimes it’s not a bad thing Zayn.” Liam chuckles at him as he turns off the main light instead turning on the shades.

“I know, can you please come here now,” he practically whines, “It’s been 9 months too long.” Liam giggles, a clear happy sound that comes out of his throat like an angels hum and Zayn hisses, because Liam’s taking things way to slow – as usual.

It’s gentle and benign for the most part and Zayn loves the way Liam takes his time with him, doesn't rush – like they have all the time in the world, from stripping each other slowly – exploring, biting, licking – to the prep. Savouring in the ways they respond to each other like an orchestra finding its harmony. He laughs around a bad joke when Liam’s fucking him 2 fingers deep. Zayn’s ready to tear out his hair and hump the mattress but then Liam’s flipping him over so that suddenly he’s being faced with Liam’s usual almond coloured eyes, this time gleaming black with want. He bites on Liam’s shoulder as he finally lubes up his own condom covered dick.He revels in the stretch Liam creates for him as he enters him silently. It’s easy to fall into a steady rhythm; it’s a fast dance of pushing and pulling, twisting and turning until Liam hit that one spot inside him that sends him off seeing sparks. It’s skin upon skin, but really he knows its heart against heart. He loves that they fit so well together, how seamlessly Liam fits whole inside him, how easily he was able to slip in and make Zayn so very easily fall apart.

He grabs onto Liam’s outstretched hands before sliding them up his biceps, letting his palm rest gently on the back of Liam's neck before pulling down so that Zayn's able to look Liam directly in the eyes. He keens when Liam shifts their angle slightly , a whine escapes the back of his throat, causing him to automatically bite onto his lower lip, whilst digging into Liam's shoulders. Liam leans down and starts to kiss him, and then he dips down and brushes his lips gently over his scar. It causes Zayn to change his angle again because the skin there is still far too sensitive – it was better but still far too sensitive for that kind of touch. He arches off the bed, his head stuffed deep into the pillow. He comes so hard it makes his vision go white, and then black, as he nearly passes out getting caught up in it all. He can hear Liam whispering unintelligible things at him, kissing slowly down his neck, just being there to aid Zayn out of his high.

When he does finally open his eyes, Liam’s smiling down at him like Zayn had just given him the cure to cancer. He glances down to see if Liam had chased and found his own high too, smiling up at him when he sees that he has.

He tilts his head to kiss Liam’s shoulder uttering out an automatic Shukriya, _Thank you_ before letting Liam slip out to go get them a wash cloth. Liam mollycoddles him a little, treating him like a porcelain doll, which Zayn doesn't think is necessary but he still didn't find the need to protest. He was still too tired from everything that had gone off the last few days.

He reaches for his boxers and slips them back on just as Liam’s turning off the lamp at his side of the bed. Zayn turns to do the same to his, plunging them into darkness as they lie together for the first time as _lovers_. Zayn happily leans into Liam, feeling Liam’s firm chest and biceps as they enclose around him one last time for the night.

“If we go one more day and not doing that again,” Liam whispers, “I swear to God, I’ll kill a bitch. That was incredible Z.”  He continues leaning over slightly to kiss his temple.

“My thoughts exactly.” He yawns sleepily his hand reaching out to find Liam’s lacing them once again. That; he knows was the best thing he’s ever experienced. He’s honestly glad they waited until it meant that little something more, because this, he wouldn’t change for anything.

*

It’s close to 5 am when he wakes up again, Liam’s still holding onto his middle like he’s not moved an inch in his sleep. He smiles at the fact that they are here now, so many miles have been crossed since that first kiss in his bathroom all those months ago – and also that  kiss on the plane a couple of days ago. He finally gets a chance to _live_ , and by that he didn’t mean living on the edge, because whilst having a gun in his jeans gives him a sense of security, it’s starting to terrify him that he could have been killed –especially since his assassins are still after him. It really was at any moment during the last almost 10 years of his life – but now he’s developing a heightened sense of urgency to get out.

If you would have asked Zayn if he would have given up his job, his _life_ before he met Liam, he knows he’d call anyone daft and never to mention the topic again, but now that he’s been handed a gift in the form of a man, he’s ready to give it up in a heartbeat.

He presses a kiss to Liam’s jaw and slides out to go the bathroom. He might be late for Salat again, but a couple of minutes is ok he measures. He really does need a shower after all.

He freshens up quickly, not really wasting time because he knows there isn’t anything to contemplate anymore, nothing to stress and worry about all he has to worry about is what’s going to happen to Fia and Antonio, he wants to make sure they’ll be ok after they leave the mountain.

He scurries his way down stairs to find his Qu'ran and prayer mat, but he bumps into the Signora instead. She’s got her fingers wrapped around one of the mugs, sitting silently by the window like she’s contemplating her life now and how it stood now the woman she considered her mother was gone. She looks at him like she’s seen a ghost, realising he’s still in just his towel, he flushes red and nods his head, grabbing his stuff and taking them out to the patio. He feels like enjoying this round of prayers, and that can only happen if he’s outside. There is a silence he likes in the quiet of the morning forest that is available to him from the rear end of the house, and it’s a very different feeling from that of a sleeping city, in a way it’s ok in LA to listen to music while jogging across the bay, he doesn’t feel that’s appropriate, here high up the in Italian Alps. There used to be a silence in him, that he saw as loneliness, the type of silence he would have wanted to get away from before he had met Liam, but now, he wants carouse in it, wants to feel in his veins, he wants to feel it in his very bones because now within him he’s realised there is a type of silence that could speak, tell its story, _his story_ , like a soundless echo.

He rushes upstairs again to get dressed, throwing on stuff that he finds lying across the floor. He chuckles when he sees that Liam has shifted in a way that he’s now hugging Zayn’s pillow to his chest and as he walks out he checks on the kids in the room next door, still both soundly asleep, which is a very good sign is seeing how bad the last couple of days had been. By the time he makes it back downstairs he notices that the Signora has moved outside, still sipping at her coffee with one hand and leafing through his Qu'ran in the other. She smiles at him, “I was wondering if you’d let me watch, as a Catholic living up here so very far away from society, I only read about Islam and your prayers, but I’d like very it very much if you let me – also seeing it the proper way it should happen after yesterday and all.”

“Stay Signora, it’s ok, but I’m afraid you won’t understand anything I say.”

“Oh that’s quite alright mio ragazzo.” She grins softly, it radiates her whole face as it hits the early morning sun hits her eyes.

He nods and unrolls his prayer mat, silently turning his body to Mecca.

*

He and the Signora are in the kitchen by the time Fia and Liam stumble down the stairs at the same time, there is lightness to the morning a sense of security now that everything has been resolved. He laughs when as he watches Fia get on the stool on the breakfast bar, she’s short for her age, so it’s a bit of a task. Liam just walks up to him and wraps his hands around his waist, whispering a silent good morning before stealing a kiss from his lips. He can see the Signora smile at them out of the corner of his eyes; it makes him miss the mother he never had.

“Will you guys set the table for me, so that we’ll have everything ready by the time the rest of them bumble out of bed?”

“We can do that, I know where everything is after all.” Fia smiles at him answering for Liam who nods at her, “Oh and Zayn,” she says climbing over the counter and crawls over to him sitting on her knees a safe distance away from the cooker, he turns to look at her and she pulls him by the hem of his shirt to her. “I just wanted to say thank you.” She whispers as he presses a kiss to his cheek. If it wasn’t for Signora Angotti’s confirmation that yes in fact Fia was 6 years old, even with her tiny stature he would have guessed at least 10, but seeing the life she was dealt with, the maturity around here isn’t astonishing.

“Come on then,” Liam giggles as he swipes her off the counter and into his arms, “and please I beg you never stop kissing my boyfriend, it’s cute when he blushes.” Liam is whispering – well trying to, seeing Zayn had in fact heard the last sentence. Liam comes back a few times, getting things from where Fia instructed they can be found and soon he’s and the Signora handing out scores of plates over the counter, laughing at both Liam’s and Fia’s comments with everything he gives them. He likes this – this ability to make people happy, his life so far consisted of dissolving threats the world at large had no idea about – but this,  he was helping himself grow and it’s making him realise that a family life is something he’s always wanted.

Louis’ makes an appearance about 10 minutes later, stating he couldn’t stay away from the smell that was wafting through the entire house. It makes him happy – there is a fluffy feeling in his stomach now, one that’s settled there since he and Liam finally decided to move this swiftly along.

“You know, I’ve known you 9 years Malik, and I never knew you could cook.”

“Well the Signora helped me but thank you and of course you don’t, you bring takeaway every time you come to my house, never actually looked in the fridge you realise this right?” He chuckles as he runs his hand through Louis’ morning bed hair, messing it up even more.

“If it wasn’t for the child,” Louis almost laughs pointing at Fia, “You’d be getting very colourful language right now.” Louis finishes as he grabs his hand hooking it so that he’s pulled onto Lou’s lap.

“Ragazzi!” The Signora interrupts, “while it’s interesting to know that friends of 9 years never properly told each other the basics about their lives, if you don’t sit and eat now the food will get cold, and excuse if I come across as a bit _muto”_ dumb, “but what’s takeaway?.” He chuckles and lets Liam explain going upstairs to wake up Niall and Harry, as well as baby Antonio, still sleeping soundly in his bed.

“There there,” He says automatically when he lifts the child into his arms. He doesn’t understand how he’s formed such a bond with both of these kids, when he’s barely known them a full week, but he thinks it might have something to do with the fact that he and Liam arrived at a time of great loss for the family, so immediate strong bonds were going to be inevitable.  Antonio grabs his thumb and starts to suck on it, making him chuckle at the sheer joy it causes deep in his stomach.

He knocks on the door that leads to Niall and Harry. He is aware that Harry snores, but he can’t fathom how Niall puts up with him, seeing its irritating Zayn _when it’s through the door._

He pushes on the handle to let the door hang open and let’s himself in, going to Niall’s side to shake him awake.  Letting Antonio go to crawl on top of the sleeping bodies, giving them reason for them to wake up and go down for breakfast.

“Boys,” He laughs as Antonio grabs Harry’s ear, twisting it painfully for a second before Zayn takes pity on Harry, who’s now whining and pulls the boy back into his arms.

“There is breakfast downstairs, please for the love of God make yourselves decent before you stumble down those stairs.” He chuckles as Harry shifts into Niall’s embrace, spilling out a few hushed profanities under his breath. He leaves before either of them move out of bed. He doesn’t know who’s dressed and who isn’t.

He makes his way back down to the kitchen to fix Antonio his bottle; it’s a bit like those you see in movies, with its wooden countertops and white doors. What he particularly grown to love is the heat that radiates through the space from the open oven. It’s something he doesn’t have at his flat. He’s this clean modernist type of person usually, he likes his white washed walls and high spec apartment in the city but he’s growing fond of the cove like space that makes up the heart of this house.

He sits back down next to Liam on the bench. He likes that only 2 individual chairs exist, reserved he guesses for the mother and father. He likes the idea of big family meals every day with the family – the concept to him is actually mind blowing.

 If he’s quite honest, Zayn doesn’t recognise himself anymore. He’s known for his coolness, his static personality that usually repels people away from him. The reason why he’s had so many good people killed by his side, because he didn’t trust them enough with his life. The reason for arguments and tantrums and the reason he was shot through his chest 2 times in the last year alone.

“Signora,” He says, “I’d like to make a proposal.” He hasn’t exactly consulted Liam on this, but he feels it’s the right thing to do. “I know from the little conversations we have had that you’ve have been given a lot to deal with. A lot to take in and absorb, and move on from and I am quite aware that I’ve only known you this short amount of time, but a lot of things have taken place between us and your family over this time, and I’d want to do something for these little ones.” He says pointing down to Antonio and Fia sat down next to Louis.

“I agree.” Liam adds surprisingly. “As payment to this case we have received a house each, which we as a couple,” He says pointing between himself and Zayn, “Don’t particularly need. I wanted to ask you if you would consider allowing us to help you bring these children up in a safe secure environment as well as giving them the chance to have the best schooling we can offer them.”

Signora looked taken somewhat aback, but obviously considering the offer then she bows her head and crosses the sign of the cross, like what Zayn and Liam had just proposed was the answer to her prayers.

“Ragazzi,” She says meekly. “I don’t even know what to say – these children who as you know I count so much as my own, as regrettable as it is, they aren’t as I expressed with you.” She points at him to and he nods, “Fia is one of the most intelligent girls I know of her age, and what she’s gone through these last few days as well as being separated from her mother so early in her life, would I’m sure benefit from this offer, as would Antonio.” She smiles almost sadly at the boy in Zayn’s arms. “I’d like to work with you, not for my sake, because my keep is my houses but I’m aching close to 60 now and I know I will be absolute to these kids by then.”

Liam stands up and rounds the table to press a kiss to Signora’s cheek. “I’d really like to help you, actually, we’d really like to help you, in any ways that we honestly can.”

“Grazie Mille.” She whispers before she breaks down into tears. Of joy he hopes.

After that he grabs a bite of toast and some eggs before walking Signora down to her house to help her permanently move her things to this one. The house she lived with the children, has seen too much death and despair, too much suffering. They needed a new start, a fresh start, where they didn’t have to worry where their next meal is coming from.

And that alone, makes Zayn extremely happy.

*

_3 years later._

“Fuck, Liam fuck you can’t – fucking Liam!” They’re in the middle of the highway going back to Rocchetta Nervina for the first time since they had first met Signora Angotti and her family. However Liam was currently trying to get his dick out of his pants – while Zayn was too busy trying to stay in one straight line on the road. He slaps Liam’s hands away and Liam whines before he gives up almost mewling but he can see that Zayn’s turning into the access road for the village. While they kept in close contact with the Angotti’s helping Fia into a very well established private school and paying off Signora Angotti’s debts – they’ve barely had time to come back to Italy because they’ve been on a world trip from Europe to Asia to finally going back home tie up their loose ends.

It ended when they visited his sisters – who not only welcomed Zayn but Liam with open arms. Up until that moment he was missing his job – missing the men he had grown to love over the years – but now they were meeting up in the little village one more time to all witness Fia’s permanent removal from the village and into Liam and Zayn’s care to attend a private secondary school in London. She was turning 10 in a couple months and they wanted to get her ready for her entry exams at 11. For that they needed to be her primary guardians – in the long run adoptive parents. Antonio had just turned 4 so he too was coming along to live with them now. They had been working together over the last couple months to make ready a house that will take 5 people comfortably and more – seeing Zayn and Liam were looking to adopt.

Liam had said once during somewhere between the second round of sex and his morning prayers – that he wanted a farm if necessary and seeing they can afford it – he’s not giving Liam anything less.

Signora Angotti had agreed to move to London for the security of the children. After so many years she was finally ready to let time catch up with her.

He pulls up at the lake – the one they first found on that walk though the village the last time. It seemed so many eons ago – now that they had achieved so much together. They decided they wanted to watch the sun set from the back of the truck, so Zayn backs it up close to the shore – far enough to not be touching the water and climbs onto the back from the side. The old pickup truck was everything they owned – in the last few months they toured Europe.

Liam’s already on top of him by the time he’s sitting down. He laughs because god damn they have sex at least once a day now – yet Liam never seemed satisfied. His only answer to Zayn’s questions were – _have you looked at your face Malik?_ _If you let me at it, I’d never be off your dick and you know it._ It was always in a hushed up tone – like he didn’t want anyone else to overhear, scared of taking his share or something. 

He lets Liam undress him – letting his jeans bunch up at his knees before kicking them off somewhere to the side, letting Liam crawl on top of him, immediately reaching down to place of his fingers in Zayn’s mouth as he starts to rub their dicks together. It’s rough and nasty for the most part – after that first time Zayn had set rules – one of them being to never treat him like a fine china doll.

 Zayn might be small but he wasn’t in any way shape or form a twig. It took Liam a couple of months to get that _it was ok_ to collide them with a wall and fuck him raw up against it. Like always – slowly but they managed to get there. Liam brings his fingers out of his mouth – summoning him back to the _now_ not the _then_. And Zayn wants to cry, because who the fuck thought that they’d be here all that time ago – when they were so shy about what they wanted with each other – when it wasn’t ok to just go _fuck it_ and do it right then. Now though he can proudly say they have fucked in every major city across the world, from New York to Taiwan, China to South Africa and he thinks just about every city in Europe – smiling because he did get his walks by the Seine and the Tiber as well as off the chain coffee. He had even proposed on the top of the Eiffel Tower – because while totally cliché and silly – he knew it was the way Liam would have done it sooner or later.

Liam’s bringing his fingers over Zayn’s hip now – brushing his newly inked gun at the side of his hip – because hey – he might have stopped carrying – but it doesn’t mean it wasn’t in his veins – that need to feel safe and secure – physically he had Liam – but emotionally he needed something more.

Liam’s straddling his thighs now, settling his mouth at the tip of Zayn’s length before reaching down to kiss him –he starts to take Zayn inside his mouth. It was lazy and saliva heavy but it meant that when Liam sat up to slide back down on his dick it wasn’t as painful as it could have been.

He lets Liam fuck himself slowing on his dick for a few minutes – giving Zayn the opportunity to enjoy the view, from behind Liam the sun was setting over Rocchetta Nervina, illuminating Liam’s skin with a beautiful orange glow. Liam’s pace starts to slow down a little giving Zayn the chance to fuck back up into him. They had started going bareback a couple months after they properly got together – after meticulously checking they were clean they ditched the lube too in favour of saliva. It meant it gave them another element of trust within their relationship – the whole thing has just been the easiest and most rewarding thing Zayn could have ever been granted in life.

He reaches up to grab Liam’s face, bringing him down over him to kiss him. While the sex turned harsh – their kisses always left Zayn’s back tingling as cold chills ran down his spine. Liam still had that effect on him – the one that left him red at his cheeks and with that happy feeling in his stomach. Liam’s hand find his own over his face and the metal on their ring fingers clings together like glasses of champagne celebrating the new year. He smiles into the kiss before whispering _happy second anniversary babe_. Liam grins, his face filled with so much happiness that he thinks he might explode. He arches up off the floor of their truck changing the angle so that he’s deliberately hitting Liam’s prostate over and over until they are both spilling simultaneously over each other, Liam’s jizz hitting the side of his throat which would make him want to get up and clean it off usually – but Liam’s leaning down again to lick him clean.

They laugh into each other as Liam pulls off and huddles his head close to Zayn’s shoulder before jumping off the side of the truck stopping to take off his watch and bracelet before jumping straight into the water. Zayn tucks them between his finger smiling – because Liam kept his promise – they are always wrapped out his wrist now.

“Hey Zayn!” He looks up from where Liam’s shouting before he goes under for a second ,  he’s coming up and swimming to him again. “You still have that stone?” he asks smiling already because God knows how many times they’ve played with it in their fingers as they’ve driven their way through the world.

He nods and reaches for his jeans taking out the smooth pebble again. The other date, _20-05-15_ and that first _Z+L_ were still etched within its boundaries only now Liam takes it from him and turns it over – adding _20-08 -18_ with the sharpie he always keeps in his clothes. Zayn smiles and lets Liam pull him out of the truck and into the water slowly and securing the jewelry on their luggage. The sun has gone down now – only remnants of pinks and red fill the night sky, laughing when he could see the moon taking its hold. Liam drags him over to the water again – reminding him that the same thing had happened on that very first proper date and blowjob. He cleans himself off smiling into a kiss that Liam’s insistent on, letting his hands drag over Liam’s mane of hair. Now that he’s reached 30 give or take – Liam’s grown it out to the point he usually grabs on its curls by his curve of his ears when they fuck.

“Call Louis –” Liam instructs as they are busy finding shuffling through their things to find a new set of clothes,  “tell them to meet us at Nannini’s –  tell them to bring the kids too from what I heard Antonio and Aoife get on like a house of fire.” He chuckles. Aoife was Niall and Harry’s 2 year old little girl. They had adopted her as a new born and while they struggled with the nappy changing and just about everything to begin with they had grown into very proud fathers of the very beautiful little bundle of joy.

He hears his tablet ringing out the Skype ringtone just when he’s just about gotten into a fresh new pair of jeans, the he leans over the dash board to get it.

He pushes the button and Hetty’s face pops up on the screen. He’s not seen her much these last few years not after that final meeting they had with her when he gave her back his badge – but recently he had been busy with everything that’s gone on to secure Fia and Antonio’s futures.

“Mr. Malik!” she greets when his face pops up on the little screen. “I just wanted to drop in and say Happy Anniversary! Where is that husband of yours?” She’s smiling – still sitting in her specially modified chair – still brewing a cup of her exotic tea, probably very happy with herself that they're here now because of her meddling. He smiles – a lot of things in his life have changed – but Hetty has remained constant – remained stable, as she leads her new team of recently qualified agents down the same path she guided Zayn once a upon a time.

“Right here Hetty!” Liam smiles coming up to lean his head on Zayn’s shoulder not before pressing a kiss to Zayn’s cheek and passing him a fresh shirt to put on.

“Happy Anniversary Gentlemen – just checking in to see how you’re both holding up.”

“We are good – never have been better honestly.” He smiles into the screen as he feels Liam press another kiss to his neck as he smoothes his shirt into place.

“Good!” she smiles at them – its rear that – he’d only seen it a couple of times in the whole time he worked with her. “Taking care of each other right?”

“Always Hetty!” he reassures.

“Good Mr. Malik. I’ll speak with you soon.”

And no – life wasn’t perfect – there was days when they had their ups and downs – days were they simply couldn’t contemplate a 4 hour drive so they’d bicker like idiots about it or more recently getting up to go to classes for his art degree because now they’ve settled in London it was only fair he found himself something useful to do – then he remembers everything he’s gained in a short few years – the family he had built out of nothing. Signora’s words about always fighting to create that stable future from themselves never leaving his mind.

He grins fondly  when he sees Fia running up to them, quickly getting off the truck and  dropping to his knees so that she can run up into his arms – still short for her age – she looks like she’s about 7 now – but her eyes shine with the hope that life is going to treat her well now. Her hair is pulled up in a ponytail and she’s in a pair of jeans – she’s so different from the little girl they first met on the other side of the mountain such a short time ago.  He stands, picking her up walking over to Liam so that he could press a kiss on her cheek.

He didn’t know that once upon a time he would meet a man and fall in love – let alone get a chance to build a life for himself his mother could be proud of. They watch as the red in the sky becomes blue, than black as the stars come out to play. He leans up to press a kiss to the top of Liam’s temple, running a hand through his hair and slowly caressing down his spine, letting it rest at the small of Liam’s back before slipping it into one of Liam’s back pocket. They walk up to the restaurant – Fia still perched on his hip as they walk, Liam’s hand sits snugly around his shoulder.

“I love you – did you know that.” He whispers tilting his head up so that his lips touch the shell of Liam’s ear just as they stop on the doorstep of the Nannini’s.

“Me too.” Liam replies as he takes his hand from his pocket and squeezes his own to it, before leaning in to kiss Zayn’s wedding band.

4 years ago, Zayn didn’t know that he could meet a man and fall in love – and not just fall in love with a soul because Liam’s taught him so much more than how to just love a person. He’s showed him ways to start loving his life now without the need of 3 guns and a Swiss army knife stuffed in his pockets – but mostly Liam’s taught him how to fall in love with a village and a little girl he now gets to call his own. Liam’s taught him how to live, how to understand that that he didn’t have to fashion his life like a loaded pistol – always ready to go off just because he signed his life away to a badge and a contract. He’s been able to teach Zayn how to understand that the love of the job didn’t translate into being ready to die so willingly under the guise of for your country. He sees now that he was naive to think he’d want to do the job he did forever – because once is luck, twice a coincidence – but being shot three time was supposed to be the trigger for him to want to get out. All he has now is because of the man that’s currently leading him into a life he never had – that idea of being truly loved by a family that appreciated you for who you were not what your mother did – and he smiles as he greets his former colleagues and best friends – plays with Antonio’s toy truck kissing Aoife’s cheek silly just to watch the little girl laugh and light up, because _this_ was _home_ and Zayn never really couldn’t ask for anything else because it was everything (and more) that he ever wanted.

~


End file.
